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Chelsea to come under fire in summer transfer market amid club takeover
Premier League giants Chelsea could be on the cusp of dealing with a more frustrating summer than they originally planned for as rumors have begun to surface that key members of the Blues squad under Thomas Tuchel could be targeted for transfer moves amid chaos off the pitch at Stamford Bridge.
According to reports in The Athletic from Chelsea correspondent Simon Johnson, the uncertain future at the club amid an impending takeover has seen top clubs from around Europe begin to view a cadre of Blues players as viable transfer options while taking advantage of the off-the-pitch situation.
More clubs are looking to take advantage of #CFC‘s uncertain future, despite imminent takeover, by targeting their best players. Mason Mount, Reece James & others being lined up by top sides. An issue the new owners can’t ignore. More here: https://t.co/AjL2juLcqU
— Simon Johnson (@SJohnsonSport) April 30, 2022
Chelsea are already set to lose Antonio Rüdiger to Real Madrid in the summer after the German international decided to not extend his stay under Tuchel next season, but the former VfB Stuttgart and AS Roma standout may not be the only player looking to leave of their own accord.
Recent links have placed Romelu Lukaku in the sights of La Liga giants Barcelona as a third transfer option with the Catalan club likely to be unable to convince either Erling Haaland or Robert Lewandowski to come to the Camp Nou for a variety of reasons. Barça are also said to be confident in securing deals for both César Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen in the summer (according to The Athletic), and a triple swoop for Chelsea assets could be difficult to replace as is for the incoming owners.
But now, Cobham academy stars Mason Mount and Reece James are both drawing increased attention from at home and abroad as top clubs in England are eyeing the two Three Lions internationals, while Real Madrid are also tracking James.
Mount currently has just two years left on his deal at Stamford Bridge and is one of the lowest-paid players in the Chelsea squad, so the option of moving to a bigger club domestically or a top club abroad where his wages could be massively increased – as could his avenue to major honors – should be a cause for concern.
Should further top names in the club eye potential moves away, new ownership will have massive problems to solve from the outset if Chelsea are to remain in the top echelon in England in the immediate aftermath of change at the top.
This article was edited by
Conor Laird.