Derek McInnes will officially begin his reign as Rangers boss with a trip to Tannadice Park on Friday night. Despite snapping up seven new names, the Scotsman is expected to be backed with further additions before the window is slammed shut next month. But the focus must be on the upcoming clash with Dundee United, as a victory on the road should boost the Gers ahead of their crucial Europa League qualifier against Jagiellonia Białystok.
Although their most recent encounter finished 4-2 in favour of Rangers, a last-gasp spot-kick from Nedim Bajrami saw them escape defeat when they clashed heads in Dundee back in December. It won't be a stroll in the park for the Glasgow giants, and it remains to be seen whether McInnes replicates last season's tactical mastery while in charge of Hearts.
The Light Blues have replaced Jack Butland with Ivor Pandur, as the former Hull City goalkeeper has been roped in as the new 'number 1'. Veteran Liam Kelly would continue as the understudy to the Croatian following his contract renewal earlier this summer.
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – JULY 26: Ben Godfrey of Rangers with a headed clearance during a pre-season friendly match between Rangers and West Ham at Ibrox Stadium on July 26, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
James Tavernier's departure has left a massive void down the right-hand side. Ross McCrorie has returned to his boyhood club, but the gaffer should rely on Dujon Sterling, who has impressed as a fullback in their pre-season outings. Ben Godfrey, snapped up on a season-long loan from Atalanta, is expected to feature alongside Emmanuel Fernandez in the heart of the backline. Tuur Rommens has been a revelation since his January arrival, and his presence on the left would offer a perfect balance between defence and attack.

#july

Chelsea have signed Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix (26), both clubs have announced. The two London-based Premier League sides reportedly agreed to a €60m transfer fee for the France international defender. Lacroix has signed a six-year deal with Xabi Alonso's Blues. The former Sochaux and Wolfsburg centre-back underwent his medical on Friday.
Chelsea were in the market for a centre-back due to the uncertainty regarding the futures of several of their defenders, such as Mamadou Sarr, Wesley Fofana or Benoît Badiashile. The Blues went for a Premier League-proven centre-back in Lacroix.
Lacroix only needed two seasons with the Eagles to become one of the league most reliable centre-backs. He joined the South London side in 2024 from Wolfsburg and went on to win the 2025 Emirates FA Cup, the 2025 Community Shield and the 2025-2026 Conference League, totalling 98 appearances across two campaigns with Palace. Lacroix's performances earned him a spot in Didier Deschamps' France World Cup squad.
GFFN | Bastien Cheval

#france

Arsenal and Chelsea have frequently taken their London rivalry into the transfer market, and that trend continued this summer when the Blues beat the Gunners to the signing of Morgan Rogers.
Arsenal remain active in the transfer market, and the two clubs could now compete for another player. Reports suggest both sides are interested in Barcelona midfielder Marc Bernal as they continue to strengthen their squads ahead of the new season.
Bernal is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in Barcelona's squad. However, with the Spanish club boasting significant depth and competing at the highest level, securing regular first-team football has proved challenging for the midfielder.
According to Football Talk, ****** nal and Chelsea are both interested in signing Bernal during the current transfer window. ****** nal are reportedly prepared to offer the midfielder the opportunity to establish himself in their first team if he decides to make the move.
Chelsea are also said to have made similar ****** urances, leaving Bernal with an important decision over his future. The midfielder is expected to weigh up which club can provide him with the best opportunity for regular football, while remaining at Barcelona is also understood to be an option.

#bernal #Football #market #interested

Napoli are zeroing in on Benoit Badiashile to complete their defense, which won't have Alessandro Buongiorno for a few months because of a knee injury, while Sam Beukema is dealing with a tricky Achilles issue, Corriere dello Sport informs.
The center-back opened the door to the destination. His personal terms won't be an obstacle. On the other hand, the Partenopei aren't close to concurring to a deal with Chelsea, as they are angling for a simple loan.
Napoli would be able to evaluate Badiashile for a season that way, as he has dealt with a number of physical problems in recent years. He made just 16 appearances in 2025/2026, for a total of just over 1000 minutes. The Blues invested €40M for him in 2023. They don't seem too keen on a temporary formula at the moment.
The Azzurri have also expressed interest in Jean-Clair Todibo, but he's not too high on their shortlist. Olympique Marseille are targeting him with more conviction. Federico Gatti remains a viable fallback. Instead, a proper investment would be needed to sign Tiago Gabriel from Lecce. He has a €30M price tag, while the Serie A runner-ups value him a lot less. He'd be useful for the lists, though, given his young age. Juan Jesus' return has also been pondered. He's still without a team after his contract ran out.
If they are concerned about Beukema's availability, they'll need a lot more than another injury-prone center-back to be serene for the entire season. It's time for them to seriously contemplate a splash at the position, without worrying about a potential future logjam.

#napoli #badiashile #won 't #season

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JULY 18: Jordan Henderson #14 of England applauds the fans after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Bronze Final between France and England at Miami Stadium on July 18, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Leonardo Fernandez - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Chelsea has been busy this summer. The Stamford Bridge club has broken its transfer record to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa with Marco Palestra also joining from Atalanta and Geovany Quenda coming in from Sporting CP. Chelsea has clearly altered its strategy ahead of the 2026/27 season.
This is reflected by the Blues' interest in Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck, both of whom are reportedly close to joining the Stamford Bridge outfit. Henderson is 36 while Welbeck is 35. That Chelsea is even interested in such experienced players says a lot about how the strategy has changed over the summer.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 28: Xabi Alonso, Manager of Chelsea, reacts during the Sydney Super Cup match between Western Sydney Wanderers and Chelsea FC at Accor Stadium on July 28, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Xabi Alonso is remodelling the Chelsea team in his own image. The Spaniard is expected to recycle the approach and tactical set-up that worked so well for him as Bayer Leverkusen manager, hence the addition of a second number 10 in Rogers and a right wing back in Palestra. There is a plan in place.

#gardens #jordan

Chelsea are looking to sell striker Liam Delap this summer with three clubs strongly interested according to reports.
The Blues signed Delap from Ipswich Town last summer on a six-year contract after triggering his £30 million release clause. However, Delap has yet to show his previous form at Stamford Bridge with the 23-year-old scoring just three times in 47 games for the club.
With another busy summer on the transfer market for Chelsea, the club are now looking to raise funds with the sale of Delap.
According to journalist Pete Hall of The i Paper, three teams are keen on signing the 23-year-old. The Trio of Leeds United, Nottingham Forest, and Everton are all said to be interested with a fee likely to be between £35 million to £40 million.

#delap #according #looking

A few talking points on the starting lineup. The big news was a first start for Hayden Hackney. The other talking point for the team was the absence of Jarrad Branthwaite. It was reported that this was as part of his planned reintegration into the squad. Tyler Dibling and Mykolenko return and Jake O'Brien started on the bench. David Moyes was starting with his favourite 4-2-3-1 with Beto up top.
A lovely night in Stoke with Everton in their all blue kits. Everton were immediately on the front foot and a nice bit of interplay only broke down when Dewsbury-Hall ****** ed a ball into the box and it was easily handled by the Stoke keeper. Interestingly, it looked like Dibling was playing at right ack with Hackney in front of him.
An early corner was recycled by the Blues and when it fell to George, he laced a shot just narrowly wide of the post. A very good start from the boys in blue. Stoke tried to slow the game down and get on the ball but Everton were pressing high. When George intercepted a pass, his pass was slightly overhit for Dibling.
Everton went off the boil and some lax defending by Tarkowski allowed Gallagher in on Travers but a great leg save denied the home team. It was then Everton's turn to hold onto the ball. It was all a little scrappy. Beto did some fighting for the ball in the middle of the park with no end product. A nice ove down the right side saw Rohl deliver a nice cross but no one was there when the keeper spilled the ball.
The interplay on the left side between KDH and George was really good. However, Travers was the saviour again as Thomas drilled another shot on the goal. Everton were then hanging on as Stoke delivered cross after cross.

#stoke #george

Chelsea beat Western Sydney Wanderers 6-4 at Accor Stadium in Sydney in their first official pre-season game.
The Blues took the lead through Dastan Satpaev, who looked impressive, but the Australian side battled back into the game.
More Chelsea goals from Jamie Gittens, Dario Essugo, and a hat-trick from Joao Pedro ensured the West London outfit secured the victory.
The Chelsea attacking unit and the midfielders were impressive, although Tosin Adarabioyo and Josh Acheampong did not cover themselves in glory at the back.
Still, there are plenty of positives for Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso to take home.

#sydney #back #western

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has answered on his side's transfer plans after winning their first match of pre-season.
The Blues kicked off their pre-season tour in Australia with a 6-4 victory over Sydney Warriors. However, much attention remains on the transfer market, where the club continues to be active.
Veteran Englishmen Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson have both been linked with moves to Stamford Bridge in the past 24 hours. Alonso answered on the speculation.
"I'm sure that from today until the last day of the transfer window there will be a lot of rumours," said the Spanish coach. "So to be commenting on all of them, it's going to be a hard task.
"But for sure we need proper balance in terms of qualities, in terms of positions, in terms of balance. We want to have a complete squad and we want to make a good team.

#transfer #alonso #season #want

Chelsea vs. Western Sydney Wanderers score, result, highlights: Joao Pedro hits hat-trick in chaotic friendly originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Chelsea began their preseason preparations in earnest on Tuesday with a thrilling friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers.
Xabi Alonso's first match in charge of the Blues ended in a 10-goal thriller in which Joao Pedro scored a hat-trick.
The Premier League side trailed their A-League opponents three times before the Brazilian forward struck all three goals in the ****** e of nine minutes to settle the contest.
Chelsea will now continue training Sydney before facing London rivals Tottenham Hotspur at Accor Stadium on Saturday.

#joao #pedro #sporting

Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso believes Morgan Rogers has all the qualities needed to make an immediate impact after completing his club-record move from Aston Villa.
The England international joined the Blues in a deal worth £117 million last week but has not travelled on the club's pre-season tour of Australia and South-East Asia after featuring at the World Cup. Rogers is instead expected to report for training at Cobham on 9 August, leaving him just under two weeks to prepare for Chelsea's Premier League opener against Fulham.
Speaking to reporters in Sydney ahead of Tuesday's friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers, Alonso said Chelsea targeted Rogers because of his ability to settle quickly and raise the team's level.
"For sure, it's a great signing," Alonso said. "In that position we needed an important player and I'm sure there were not many better options than Morgan Rogers."
"You need players who can have that almost instant impact and I am sure Morgan won't need much time to adapt to the club, to the system, to his team-mates. That was the idea that we wanted, to get a top player and Morgan is one of them."

#morgan #rogers #alonso #impact

Every start of preseason we make it clear that these games are nothing more than fitness preparation for the squad. However when you give playing time for several young players like we did today, you have to keep your eyes peeled for what may come next.
One of those young'uns, Dastan Satpayev, had some eyes set on him and showed why that was the case. A good run from Ryan Kavuma-McQueen's pass to break the offside trap from the hosts at Accor Stadium in Sydney and the Kazakh international scored not even 10 minutes into the match.
While offensively the Blues were very promising, the combination of Tosin Adarabioyo and 18-year-old centre-back Olutayo Subuloye in defence didn't make it for solid defending. In spite of Teddy Sharman-Lowe's best efforts to organise his teammates in a corner kick, he couldn't do much to avoid giving Western Sydney Wanderers the tying goal.
It didn't help that midfielders Reggie Watson and Dário Essugo weren't in the kind of rhythm needed to control action in their sector. The hosts were thus able to attack at whim with little to no counterpart offered by Chelsea, who had instead to keep defending against a barrage of shots from the Wanderers.
Unsurprisingly the hosts got in front via Aydan Hammond, with defence once again not covering themselves in glory. What was surprising, was Chelseaying at 2-2 with Dário Essugo ***** isted by Reggie Walsh on a Satpayev play and pass from the left flank.

#satpayev #keep #eyes

Seven academy players have been taken on Chelsea's pre-season tour - and they will all be looking to impress new boss Xabi Alonso.
The Blues are travelling to Australia with a 26-man squad, and are facing Western Sydney Wanderers and Tottenham.
Almost all of the academy players have been training with the first team throughout Alonso's first two weeks in charge, featuring in behind-closed-doors friendly wins against Crawley Town and Bromley.
However, they could return to London during the Asian leg of the tour if the players involved at the World Cup rejoin the squad.
Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli is one of the young players hoping to make an impact and break into a star-studded - perhaps oversized - Chelsea squad.

#tour #alonso #blues

Carlisle United have signed Fleetwood Town defender Toby Mullarkey on loan until January.
The defender played 27 games for the Lancashire club in League Two last season, having joined from Crawley Town where he worked under Carlisle's new head coach Rob Elliot.
Mullarkey, 30, is the sixth player signed by the Blues this summer as they prepare for a second National League season.
"To join a team that's expected to be up there and winning is something I'm looking forward to," he told Carlisle's website.

#mullarkey #league #season #united

Chelsea are targeting deals for Maxence Lacroix, Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson - and the ages of the experienced trio seem to signal a major change in transfer tactics from the Blues.
At 26, it could be said that Crystal Palace and France defence Lacroix is in his prime, but the £52m target is still notably older than other recent Blues signings.
It has been two years since Chelsea signed a player older than Lacroix, and Tosin Adarabioyo was only marginally older when he arrived three months before turning 27.
Meanwhile, Brighton striker Welbeck is 35 and keen to move to Stamford Bridge, and Brentford and England midfielder Henderson is 36.
Welbeck's potential arrival could mean he replaces 23-year-old Liam Delap in the first-team picture.

#danny #crystal

Chelsea will kick off their pre-season schedule on Tuesday with a clash against Australia's Western Sydney Wanderers at the Accor Stadium.
This match signals the start of a new chapter for the club, as Xabi Alonso officially takes charge as head coach. The Blues are effectively starting from scratch after a disappointing 2025/26 Premier League campaign, which saw them finish 10th. With no pre-season matches played so far, Chelsea head into this fixture short on match fitness and overall rhythm, making their Australian opener a challenging starting point.
The squad travelling to Australia is far from full strength, with several important players unavailable.
A number of key names are still recovering after international duty, including Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Pedro Neto, and Enzo Fernández, all of whom featured in the latter stages of the World Cup.
In addition, summer signings Emmanuel Emegha and Geovany Quenda have remained in London as they deal with minor injury concerns.

#head #sydney

It had been coming, but the news was confirmed today that Idrissa Gana Gueye has left Everton with the expiration of his current contract.
There was a clause in his deal for an optional year, but talks between the club and player looked to have broken down and with a lucrative offer coming in from Al-Diriyah in the Saudi league for the midfielder, Gana has chosen to leave the club.
The 36-year-old had been a mainstay for the club in the middle of the park over two stints, having first signed for the Blues in the summer of 2016 from Aston Villa. He left for three years to play at his boyhood favourite club Paris St. Germain before returning in 2022.
Gueye's tough-tackling, no-nonsense style won him a legion of followers across the fanbase as he soared to the top of league in most defensive metrics, and was instrumental in keeping the club up during recent relegation battles.
He made a total of 236 appearances for the Toffees, winning the Club's Player of the Season award in 2024/25 and twice being named Players' Player of the Season.

#coming #left #year #gueye

Italian side Como have submitted an improved formal offer to Chelsea for versatile defender Trevoh Chalobah, with direct negotiations ongoing to finalise an agreement. Xabi Alonso is at Stamford Bridge.
The ambitious Serie A club have structured a new proposal worth a guaranteed €25 million, plus €5m in performance-related add-ons. Crucially, the add-ons are understood to be highly attainable, effectively ensuring the total fee reaches €30 million to satisfy Chelsea’s valuation.
This move follows an earlier opening bid from Como that fell short of Chelsea’s expectations. While the Blues hierarchy initially held out for a premium fee for their academy graduate, this upgraded, nearly guaranteed arrangement has significantly narrowed the valuation gap between the two clubs.
From the player’s perspective, Chalobah is said to be very keen on a move to Lombardy. The 27-year-old English defender is attracted by the sporting project under manager Cesc Fabregas, where he would be guaranteed a central role in the defence. Having spent recent seasons on the fringes at Chelsea, Chalobah sees a move to Italy as the ideal opportunity to re-establish himself as a regular starter.
Negotiations between Chelsea and Como remain active as the two clubs work to finalise the details of a deal. With personal terms not expected to pose any obstacle, given the player’s eagerness to join Fabregas’ side, momentum is building toward a swift resolution in the coming days.

#como #fabregas #negotiations #finalise

Chelsea are ready to cash in on Axel Disasi this summer and have placed a £25 million asking price on the French defender, according to The Standard.
The Blues are one of the most active Premier League clubs in the transfer market this summer as new manager Xabi Alonso continues to reshape his squad ahead of the new season.
After failing to qualify for any of UEFA’s three European competitions, Chelsea are wary of going into the 2026/27 season with a bloated squad.
As much as reinforcing the squad is a priority, the Blues are also focused on flogging their deadwood, and Disasi could be the next to leave the club this summer.
The Frenchman had already fallen down the pecking order at Chelsea before Alonso came in, and the Spanish tactician has no plan to reintegrate him into the team.

#squad #disasi #axel

WSL Full-Time were informed of the news via an official club press release from The Blues this morning.
It has been reported that Chelsea have paid an undisclosed fee to Leicester City to secure the player’s services.
The 18-year-old is a product of the Leicester City academy system. Las made her senior debut for The Foxes in October 2024. In total, she has gone on to make 23 appearances for the club at first team level.
Las spent the second half of last season on loan at Ipswich Town. She helped the club to retain their Barclays WSL2 status.
On the international stage, Las has represented England at various youth levels up to and including Under-19 level. She is now pushing for honours with the Under-20s.

#full #Chelsea

Cornucopian is the morning line favorite for the Bing Crosby Stakes and is trained by bob Baffert
The Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar carries major significance as a "win and you're in" race for the Breeders' Cup. This means the winner receives an automatic entry into the $2 million Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland later this fall. The 81st running of this grade 1 event features a balanced nine horse field that is led by the Bob Baffert-trained Cornucopian. With every runner as Stakes placed (finished in top three) or a Stakes winner, this six-furlong dirt dash for $400,000 in cash promises to be very competitive. Named for one of the founding fathers of the Seaside Oval, the career crooner is surely smiling when he sees this lineup of talent. Last year, the California-bred Lovesick Blues shook up the world with a huge closing kick at odds of 18 to 1. Could another longshot sing in this edition of the Bing?...Let's take a look at the entrants and provide a thought on each. The horses will be listed by post position with trainer, jockey, and morning line. The Bing Crosby Stakes will be contested on July 25 and is carded as race 10 with an expected post time of 6:30 pm Pacific time.
Son of Maximum Security has three wins and a second-place finish in his last four starts. Dominated in the St. Matthews Stakes at Churchill Downs at this distance in his last start back on April 30. Could be a 100 proof player here and certainly a horse for your superfecta.
Hard-running son of Shancelot that has his pappy's speed and his grandpappy's (Hard Spun) guts. Has been in top 3 in 9 of 12 carer starts but has only found the winner's circle 3 times. Trainer has a knack for pulling off upsets, but this is a tall task. A horse to play across the board at a price and oh by the way, those three wins have all been at old Del Mar.
Highly competitive son of Ghostzapper has run in 11 Stakes races in 13 career starts at distances ranging from six furlongs to a mile and a quarter. Was fourth in this race a year ago and finished a non-threatening fifth in his only start this year in the Bango Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 27. He has the experience against top competition and if the price is right is an across-the-board play. Put him on your exotic tickets.

#stakes #bing #three #cornucopian

AC Milan have reached an agreement with Troyes to sign Rangers target Sankhoun Diawara, according to Foot Mercato. The 20-year-old was reportedly on the verge of joining Rangers in a huge boost to Bears manager Derek McInnes. However, the Ibrox club have to look elsewhere for a top defender to boost their chances of winning the Scottish Premiership next term. Milan have hijacked the Light Blues’ deal for Diawara despite Rangers agreeing terms to the Frenchman.
The Serie A club have also agreed personal terms with Diawara, with only the final details remaining to be settled before finalising the deal. While the Bears wanted the youngster in their first-team immediately, Milan only have plans to add him to their under-23s. Diawara secured promotion to Ligue 1 at the end of last term after making 17 appearances across all competitions.

#boost #club

Manchester City’s full Fantasy Premier League price list has been revealed ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Men's Team
It’s a new era at the Etihad Stadium with Enzo Maresca preparing to take charge of his first season as the Blues manager.
As we eye further glory under the Italian, our players are likely to be utilised by FPL managers who will be aiming to maximise their points return across the 38 league matches of the season.
We begin our Premier League pursuit by hosting Bournemouth at the Etihad on Sunday 23 August, with kick-off scheduled for 14:00 (UK).

#enzo

Aston Villa are in talks to loan Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea, just days after the Blues made the Villans' Morgan Rogers the most expensive British footballer in history with their £117m purchase.
But what's the thought process behind the loan deal - and how does Unai Emery's previous interest in Liverpool's Harvey Elliott and Newcastle's William Osula, plus Jacob Ramsey's move to St James' Park, relate to it?
Well, Liverpool's Elliott joined Villa on loan last summer with an obligation to buy if the midfielder made 10 Premier League appearances.
By October, Unai Emery had decided he did not want to commit £35m on Elliott, who was left in limbo and ended the season with just nine appearances.
There was a feeling from some in the game that Villa's treatment of Elliott - in changing their minds about signing him - could easily put others off joining on a similar arrangement, due to potentially losing a year of their career.

#Chelsea

Two Visalia youth baseball teams made history over the weekend.
On Saturday, July 18, the Visalia Blues 11U baseball team defeated Tulare in a 4-3 nailbiter before taking down Elk Grove in the Pacific Southwest Regional Tournament finale.
On the same day, the Blues 12U squad defeated Hilo Black of Hawaii to claim their respective regional championship.
And now, both the Visalia Blues 11U and 12U baseball teams will be heading to the 2026 Cal Ripken World Series.
"It's pretty special, but I'm not surprised by it either," Blues 11U manager Brandon Peters said.

#Baseball

Liverpool are confident of signing Bradley Barcola, Alex Scott favours a move to ***** nal, Bruno Fernandes is ready to commit his future to Manchester United.
Liverpool are confident they can beat ***** nal and Bayern Munich to the signature of Paris St-Germain forward Bradley Barcola, after the 23-year-old impressed with four goal contributions at the World Cup with France this summer. (Sun)
Arsenal are edging the battle with Manchester United for sought-after Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, 22 - but the England Under-21 international has concerns around how much game time he would get at the Emirates. (Mirror)
Scott is keen on a move to Chelsea after the Cherries rejected a £64m bid from the Blues. (The Standard)
Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes, 31, has decided to commit his future to Manchester United, with talks around a new deal ongoing. (Express)

#arsenal #united #Liverpool #barcola

Chelsea have emerged as firm favourites to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s teenage sensation Kerim Alajbegovic. Xabi Alonso is at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are in pole position to land the 18-year-old winger following his breakout performances for Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
Alajbegovic’s stock soared during the tournament after he scored a spectacular long-range goal in Bosnia’s 3–1 group-stage win over Qatar. At 18 years and 276 days, he became the youngest player to score from outside the penalty area at a World Cup since Kylian Mbappe in 2018. That historic strike earned him Man of the Match honours and put Europe’s top clubs on high alert.
Chelsea have identified Alajbegovic as a prime target who fits their long-term strategy of acquiring elite, high-potential domestic and international talent. While Serie A side Atalanta initially led the race ahead of Leeds United, Chelsea’s financial strength and readiness to meet Leverkusen’s asking price have shifted momentum decisively towards Stamford Bridge.
Bayer Leverkusen are open to selling the teenage attacker after recalling him from a stellar spell at Red Bull Salzburg, where he scored 13 goals and provided four ******* ists in a prolific 2025/26 campaign. Die Werkself are holding out for a fee of around £30 million.
With personal terms unlikely to be an obstacle, Chelsea are pushing to wrap up negotiations behind the scenes. Should a deal be completed, Alajbegovic would become the latest high-profile young international to join Chelsea’s ambitious project.

#World

According to multiple reports, Aston Villa and Chelsea have agreed yet another deal today, this time for Blues disappointment Alejandro Garnacho. So as Morgan Rogers arrives from Villa, Garnacho heads the other way — technically not actually related, but you know…
The Garnacho deal is just a loan but with a conditional buy obligation, which is said to be "easy to reach, almost guaranteed", as per Fabrizio Romano. In fact, a four-year contract already awaits at the end of this one-year loan, so all signs point to this deal being, in effect, a transfer. (The Athletic report that the condition "a minimum number of appearances across the 2026-27 season", though they don't specify the actual number or whether it's all competitions or Premier League only.)
There's also no word on how much that obligation may be in terms of a transfer fee, but as of right now, this sounds like a decent bit of business for a player who has utterly disappointed since his arrival from Manchester United last summer and who wasn't even invited back to training camp under new manager Xabi Alonso.
I guess Villa are hoping that the 22-year-old can rediscover his earlier promise with this new opportunity. Their manager, Unai Emery is said to be a big fan. I guess we'll see.

#villa #loan #number #manager

Bournemouth have rejected a £64m bid from Chelsea for midfielder Alex Scott.
The Cherries made it clear to the Blues that any further approaches would not be welcomed and that they intend to keep hold of one of their star players.
However, it remains a difficult situation for the club as the England Under-21 international has rejected a new contract that has been on the table for at least two months.
Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham and Manchester City also expressed an interest in Scott earlier in the window.
Chelsea are also interested in signing England defender John Stones on a free transfer following his departure from Manchester City.

#scott #city #alex

New Chelsea signing Morgan Rogers says he is "really excited" about "where the club is heading" under new manager Xabi Alonso.
The Blues completed the signing of England midfielder Rogers from Aston Villa for a British record transfer fee of £117m on Monday.
It had been widely expected that Rogers, who was Villa's most prized ****** et, would be available only for an English transfer record fee, but many expected ****** nal to be the frontrunners.
However, Chelsea had been tracking Rogers for more than two years and had quietly made him their top attacking target with a combined effort involving the club's sporting directors, Alonso and co-owner Behdad Eghbali helping to secure a deal.
"I'm so excited," Rogers said on the move.

#Chelsea #alonso #excited #xabi