Chelsea have been criticised for their over-spending at times under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, but BBC journalist Nizaar Kinsella has posted on X about how close the Blues are to balancing the books due to making so many player sales.

While plenty of new arrivals have come in at Chelsea this summer, such as Joao Felix, Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho and Tosin Adarabioyo, there have also been some significant sales of senior players like Conor Gallagher, Romelu Lukaku, Ian Maatsen, Hakim Ziyech and Omari Hutchinson.

In total, that means Chelsea have raised almost £190m in player sales, having spent only slightly more than that on signings coming in…

Chelsea are pretty close to having balanced the books following Angelo Gabriel's sale to Al-Nassr for £19.1million… if you don't count Penders and Estevao (who were signed for 2025 and not joined yet).

– £208.5m spent, £188.9m made in sales. https://t.co/XYvMmKr0cO

— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) September 3, 2024

Chelsea fans will be glad to see that, despite the outside criticism, the numbers show that their club is largely going about things in the right way, and that should eventually lead to improvements on the pitch.

There is already plenty to be optimistic about with Enzo Maresca’s style of play, as Chelsea look to have more of a polished game plan than they did last season under Mauricio Pochettino.

More Stories / Latest News

Raheem Sterling makes unusual decision following arrival at Arsenal

Sep 3 2024, 19:16

Ange Postecoglou makes Radu Dragusin prediction that Spurs fans will love

Sep 3 2024, 18:50

21-year-old talent stuck at Chelsea searching for a way out this month

Sep 3 2024, 18:31

Still, CFC will still need time for their new signings to settle and for young players like Nicolas Jackson, Enzo Fernandez and Noni Madueke to reach their full potential, with there still being some frustrating inconsistency there.

The post Chelsea have nearly balanced the books with staggering £188.9m received in transfer fees appeared first on CaughtOffside.

It was the transfer soap opera of the summer and a game of brinksmanship from Victor Osimhen that blew up spectacularly.

The Nigerian appeared hell bent on moving to Chelsea at various stages of the summer transfer window, and yet, in what seemed to be a situation where he wanted to extract every penny from the deal, ended up turning into such a mess that he faced the genuine possibility of being banished to the sidelines by Napoli.

Fortunately for all concerned, Turkish giants, Galatasaray, have arrived as the proverbial nights in shining armour.

??? BREAKING: Victor Osimhen to Galatasaray, here we go! Deal done and all documents have been approved.

Osimhen’s release clause will be €75m with Napoli option to extend until 2027.

Loan move to Gala until June 2025, €9/10m salary covered.

No buy option, no obligation. pic.twitter.com/Cc7lAYPPW6

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 2, 2024

According to CaughtOffside columnist and transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, Osimhen has now agreed to join the club on loan until next summer.

Gala do not have a buy option or obligation written into the deal and the likelihood of him staying beyond his loan would appear to be slim, given that it’s understood he’d always wanted a big club to come in for him.

‘Here we go’ for Victor Osimhen

For now, it’s a deal that evidently suits all parties, though things can – and often do – change in football in the blink of an eye.

Perhaps the deal can also serve as a warning to players in particular moving forward.

As FFP continues to bite hard, clubs are seemingly not going to be as bold as they might previously have been in the transfer market.

More Stories / Latest News

Raheem Sterling makes unusual decision following arrival at Arsenal

Sep 3 2024, 19:16

Ange Postecoglou makes Radu Dragusin prediction that Spurs fans will love

Sep 3 2024, 18:50

21-year-old talent stuck at Chelsea searching for a way out this month

Sep 3 2024, 18:31

Chelsea in particular appear to be walking a tightrope as far as that’s concerned, and that might go some way to explaining why the Blues were reticent to accept the striker’s financial demands.

In any event, all’s well that ends well and Napoli will also surely be breathing a sigh of relief after the deadline day collapse of a deal for Osimhen, which would’ve left them in a very delicate situation.

The post Saga finally over for major Chelsea target Victor Osimhen as striker agrees move appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea have completed the sale of striker Romelu Lukaku to Napoli.

Lukaku rejoined Chelsea in 2021 for £97.5m (per BBC Sport) following two glittering seasons at Inter Milan in which he scored 64 goals in 95 appearances across all competitions, winning the Serie A title and reaching a Europa League final.

However, Lukaku struggled to rediscover his best form back at Stamford Bridge, netting just eight goals in 26 Premier League appearances — 15 in 44 across all competitions.

The 119-time Belgium international has subsequently spent the last two years back on loan in Italy, first at Inter and then at Roma last season, notching 14 goals in 37 appearances and 21 goals in 47 outings across all competitions for the two clubs, respectively.

Chelsea make major loss on Lukaku

Lukaku was just one of a host of senior players placed on the transfer list by Chelsea this summer and at last, he has completed his move away from the club.

The 31-year-old has joined 2022/23 Serie A champions Napoli in a deal worth £30m, which is a £67.5m loss on what Chelsea paid for the striker just three years ago.

Lukaku has penned an initial three-year contract with the Partenopei, with Calciomercato reporting that he will earn a salary of around €8m NET per season.

Romelu is proud to be one of us!

? #ProudToBeNapoli | #ForzaNapoliSempre | #WelcomeLukaku pic.twitter.com/Z4R4x4LVkz

— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) August 29, 2024

Chelsea also saw homegrown midfielder Tino Anjorin depart for Italy recently, joining Serie A outfit Empoli.

Next on the list of potential outgoings are the likes of Raheem Sterling, Armando Broja, Carney Chukwuemeka and Axel Disasi as Enzo Maresca looks to thin out his bloated squad.

The post Chelsea complete sale at £67.5m loss on the eve of transfer deadline day appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Antonio Conte is close to reuniting with Romelu Lukaku at Napoli as Chelsea have granted the striker permission to travel to Italy to complete his medical and to sign his contract with the Serie A club.

The Belgian joins Napoli as part of a €30m deal plus add-ons and will sign a contract at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona until 2027.

The transfer is very close to becoming official as all the documents are ready to be signed and according to Fabrizio Romano, Lukaku has been granted permission by Chelsea to travel to Italy for his medical tests and to sign his Napoli contract.

Lukaku will be relieved to finally seal a permanent move away from Stamford Bridge having spent the last two seasons out on loan with Inter Milan and Roma.

The 31-year-old will also be eager to reunite with Conte in Naples as the former Chelsea coach brought the best out of the Belgium international during their time at Inter. The 2020/21 season saw Lukaku score 30 goals and assist a further 10 across 44 games at the Serie A giants as the ex-Man United star fired his team to the Italian title.

More Stories / Latest News

Raheem Sterling makes unusual decision following arrival at Arsenal

Sep 3 2024, 19:16

Ange Postecoglou makes Radu Dragusin prediction that Spurs fans will love

Sep 3 2024, 18:50

21-year-old talent stuck at Chelsea searching for a way out this month

Sep 3 2024, 18:31

What will Chelsea star Romelu Lukaku bring to Napoli?

Although Lukaku has worked well with Conte in the past, it doesn’t mean that the pair will be successful again in Naples. The Belgian star has declined since their time at Inter and the Chelsea ace has massive shoes to fill should Victor Osimhen leave Napoli during the final week of the transfer window.

Fans of the Italian club hope that Lukaku brings goals at the very least and that is something the 31-year-old is good at, especially in Serie A over recent seasons.

The transfer is good for everyone involved and it could be an even better deal for Napoli, should Conte help Lukaku rediscover his 2020/21 form.

The post Chelsea give permission for €30m ace to travel to big European club for medical appeared first on CaughtOffside.

It’s been one of the transfer sagas of the summer, but here we are in the final week of the window and Victor Osimhen remains a Napoli player.

The Nigerian hit-man is believed to have long been coveted by Chelsea, though a prohibitive €130m release clause would appear to be what has held up any deal.

Though the player still knows where the goal is, his form since the Partnopei’s epic Scudetto-winning season has tailed off a little, and that might explain the reticence of the Blues or anyone else failing to step forward and meet the Serie A side’s valuation of their player.

In the last days, CaughtOffside columnist and transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, has indicated that the Saudi Pro League side, Al Ahli, have agreed a deal for the player with Napoli… for €65m.

??? More on Victor Osimhen story.

The agreement between Napoli and Al Ahli for package in excess of €65m is almost done, pending small details.

But NO agreement with Osimhen so far as Nigerian striker wants an important salary + KEY DETAIL: release clause to be included. pic.twitter.com/Z9vnSTdIEE

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 25, 2024

That’s half of what the club were originally asking but perhaps evidences their worry about Osimhen still being on their books after the deadline, particularly as Napoli are apparently also close to landing Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea – a favourite of Antonio Conte.

With only three days to go until the window closes, it’s now a race against time to get Osimhen out of the club, but importantly, it seems that the player has no interest in going to the Saudi Pro League.

In fact, as i (subscription required) report, the striker prefers a move to Stamford Bridge, and is waiting for the two clubs to agree on a deal in order that he and his representatives can also then enter into negotiations.

Clearly, all parties will need to work hard and fast if they want to get a deal done, and if it proves to be too late, then Osimhen will be faced with the possibility of going to Saudi Arabia or playing second fiddle to Lukaku – neither of which is likely to appeal.

The post Victor Osimhen makes definitive transfer decision that will have huge repercussions for Chelsea appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Romelu Lukaku won’t undergo his Napoli medical this weekend and is expected to complete his move at the beginning of next week according to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg.

The Blues have been trying to offload Lukaku all summer and the Belgian has been part of a group training away from the first team.

The 31-year-old has had his heart set on a move to Napoli and the clubs have been locked in negotiations for weeks, but a breakthrough was made on Friday evening when an agreement worth up to €45m was reached.

Lukaku to complete Napoli move next week

Chelsea fans will be delighted to see the back of Lukaku and his nightmare second spell at the club is set to come to an end.

The Belgium international has spent the last two seasons on loan at Inter and Roma but is now closing in on a permanent return to Italy with his former manager Antonio Conte.

A deal is in place but there’s still some details to finalise and Plettenberg has reported that Lukaku won’t undergo his medical this weekend.

He took to X.com and said:

“Understand that Romelu #Lukaku will not undergo his medical this weekend as some more details need to be arranged. #CFC All agreed between Chelsea and Napoli. €30m fixed amount. Lukaku deal with Napoli, expected to be finalized at the beginning of next week @SkySportDE.”

? Understand that Romelu #Lukaku will not undergo his medical this weekend as some more details need to be arranged. #CFC

All agreed between Chelsea and Napoli. €30m fixed amount.

Lukaku deal with Napoli, expected to be finalized at the beginning of next week. @SkySportDE… pic.twitter.com/UvwbrLI69g

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) August 24, 2024

Napoli had an initial loan offer with an obligation to buy worth around £25.5m turned down by Chelsea, but the Blues have now got the fee they wanted, although it remains to be seen how attainable the €15m add-ons are.

More Stories / Latest News

Raheem Sterling makes unusual decision following arrival at Arsenal

Sep 3 2024, 19:16

Ange Postecoglou makes Radu Dragusin prediction that Spurs fans will love

Sep 3 2024, 18:50

21-year-old talent stuck at Chelsea searching for a way out this month

Sep 3 2024, 18:31

Lukaku’s departure opens up the possibility of Victor Osimhen moving to Stamford Bridge and more talks are reportedly scheduled for the coming days.

As is stands Chelsea are only interested in a loan, which doesn’t appeal to Osimhen or Napoli, whilst the Nigerian isn’t prepared to lower his salary demands and it looks like this saga could head to the final day.

The post Huge boost for Chelsea with major €45m transfer to be finalised next week appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku is a target for Italian club Napoli this summer.

The Italian outfit are hoping to sign him permanently this summer and they have now submitted an offer of around €30 million for the Belgian international. According to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Napoli are now waiting for a response from the Premier League club.

It will be interesting to see if Chelsea are willing to accept the offer for the 31-year-old striker. Lukaku does not have a future at the club and it would make sense for Chelsea to cash in on him.

He has been a proven performer in the Italian league and he could prove to be a quality acquisition for Napoli. Victor Osimhen could leave the club this summer and Napoli are looking for a quality replacement. Lukaku would be the ideal acquisition for them.

According to Fichajes, the striker will earn around €6 million per season at Napoli.

More Stories / Latest News

Raheem Sterling makes unusual decision following arrival at Arsenal

Sep 3 2024, 19:16

Ange Postecoglou makes Radu Dragusin prediction that Spurs fans will love

Sep 3 2024, 18:50

21-year-old talent stuck at Chelsea searching for a way out this month

Sep 3 2024, 18:31

Lukaku would improve Napoli

The 31-year-old scored 21 goals in all competitions for Roma last season. He has previously won the league title with Inter Milan as well. He knows what it takes to succeed in Italian football and he has worked with Antonio Conte in the past as well.

Lukaku should be able to settle in quickly and make an instant impact at Napoli if he joins the club. The striker is at the peak of his powers right now and signing him for a fee of around €30 million could prove to be a good investment.

Meanwhile, Chelsea need to improve their attacking options as well and they will be hoping to get rid of their fringe players and bring in the funds for necessary additions. It will be interesting to see if Chelsea can bring in a quality striker before the summer window closes. Lukaku’s departure will certainly free up the wage bill and bring in the funds for other signings.

The post Chelsea receive €30m offer for outcast, player could earn €6m-a-year appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Napoli are closing in on Chelsea star Romelu Lukaku as the Belgian is finally close to sealing a permanent move away from Stamford Bridge.

The Belgian returned to the Premier League club in 2021 as part of a massive £97.5m deal with Inter Milan but it was a move that never worked out for both the player and Chelsea.

The striker would spend the last two seasons on loan with Inter and Roma, but no club was able to provide the 31-year-old with a permanent home. That is about to change as Napoli are closing in on signing the Chelsea star.

Fabrizio Romano has given the move his famous “Here We Go!” tagline as there is a verbal agreement in place between both clubs. Chelsea have accepted a deal worth €30m plus add-ons up to €15m for the Belgium international.

Lukaku will sign a three-year deal with the Serie A outfit until 2027 and the move will see the former Inter star reunite with Antonio Conte.

More Stories / Latest News

Raheem Sterling makes unusual decision following arrival at Arsenal

Sep 3 2024, 19:16

Ange Postecoglou makes Radu Dragusin prediction that Spurs fans will love

Sep 3 2024, 18:50

21-year-old talent stuck at Chelsea searching for a way out this month

Sep 3 2024, 18:31

Romelu Lukaku ready to reunite with Antonio Conte at Napoli

This move could be brilliant for Lukaku’s career as he is used to Serie A and Conte is the manager who extracted the most out of the former Premier League striker. During the 2020/21 season, the Belgian star scored 30 goals and assisted a further 10 across 44 goals for Inter, firing his way to the Italian title.

As for Chelsea, €45m is a fair fee to receive for the 31-year-old and it will help with the London club’s cooperation with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.

The West London outfit will be happy to finally part ways with Lukaku as they have spent three summers in a row trying to secure deals for the striker to play elsewhere.

The post “Here we go!” – Unwanted Chelsea star seals €45m exit from Stamford Bridge appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Chelsea met with Napoli on Thursday regarding the sale of Romelu Lukaku and talks over the striker did not go to plan. 

The Belgian has been linked to the Serie A club all summer as Antonio Conte has been eager to reunite with the 31-year-old. The striker had one of the best seasons of his career working with the Italian coach at Inter and they are now trying to replicate it in Naples.

However, a deal for Lukaku has been complicated as it is slightly linked to the future of Victor Osimhen, who wants to leave Napoli before next week’s deadline.

There were talks related to the sale of Lukaku in London on Thursday between representatives of Chelsea and Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the meeting went on for several hours but it did not go to plan.

There were some differences regarding the structure in which the transfer fee would be paid and they left the talks without an agreement. The transfer journalist states that the clubs will meet again as both want to get the deal over the line.

More Stories / Latest News

Raheem Sterling makes unusual decision following arrival at Arsenal

Sep 3 2024, 19:16

Ange Postecoglou makes Radu Dragusin prediction that Spurs fans will love

Sep 3 2024, 18:50

21-year-old talent stuck at Chelsea searching for a way out this month

Sep 3 2024, 18:31

Romelu Lukaku needs Napoli move to happen

Lukaku is currently training away from the Chelsea senior team and having watched Napoli lose their opening Serie A game 3-0 to Hellas Verona at the weekend, the Belgian will be frustrated in London knowing he could have helped Conte’s team.

This transfer has always been complicated and it looks like it still is but it is one that needs to get over the line for everybody’s sake.

It would be a disaster if the transfer collapsed, therefore, the next meeting needs to be a positive one.

The post Unwanted Chelsea star’s exit in doubt as talks on Thursday didn’t go to plan appeared first on CaughtOffside.

This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive transfer news via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Raheem Sterling talks planned, plus other Chelsea exits

We’re heading towards the end of the window and many things are happening at Chelsea as always, with the Blues now very busy on outgoings. As we know, Conor Gallagher has been announced as a new Atletico Madrid player, with Joao Felix heading in the opposite direction, it’s all official now.

As well as that, Armando Broja to Ipswich Town is done – it’s a loan with an obligation to buy clause, which is there in case Ipswich manage to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season. The overall package is worth more than £30m, from what I’m hearing, so this is the agreement, with Broja saying yes to the move and having his medical with the club yesterday.

I’m also told that Chelsea are now very close to selling Romelu Lukaku. The agreement is very close with Napoli, and all parties now believe that the deal will be done. Lukaku has already agreed a three-year contract with Napoli, whose director will be in London to close the deal. There will be a new round of talks in London very soon this week, and the expectation is for Lukaku to become a Napoli player.

We also know that Chelsea have a lot of work to do to clarify the situations of other players, such as Raheem Sterling, Trevoh Chalobah and Carney Chukwuemeka. Sterling has been linked with the likes of Juventus and Aston Villa, but despite rumours, there are no specific clubs to mention yet, but Sterling’s camp is exploring options as he will leave Chelsea. The decision is clear after talking to Maresca, so Sterling is leaving and it’s over with Chelsea. Negotiations will follow in the next days with several possibilities.

Arsenal relaxed over Merino transfer and another agreement in place

The expectation remains for the Mikel Merino deal to happen, it’s just about working on the details of the deal, with Arsenal very relaxed and confident. As well as that, we could see some players leave Arsenal before the end of the window, such as Eddie Nketiah and Aaron Ramsdale.

With Nketiah, we know Nottingham Forest are interested. However, Forest have also shown an interest in Santiago Gimenez – their bid has been rejected by Feyenoord, €26m plus add-ons was still not enough. Forest have advanced in talks with Arsenal and also with Nketiah as he’s accepted the proposal on contract. Forest remain attentive to Gimenez situation but as of last night, Nketiah is the favourite striker option for them.

There have been many rumours about Ramsdale, but he has several possibilities. One of those is Bournemouth because they will not be signing Giorgi Mamardashvili anymore as part of the Liverpool-Valencia deal. Bournemouth are continuing to look for a new goalkeeper and Ramsdale is an option.

Wolves could also be one to watch as they’re keeping a close eye on the situation of Ramsdale, but as of today Arsenal are rejecting all loan proposals as they only want a permanent transfer or a loan with obligation. Let’s see if they will find a solution, but the overall feeling from sources in the industry is that Ramsdale will leave Arsenal before the end of the summer transfer window.

Arsenal already have an agreement with Joan Garcia to replace Ramsdale if he leaves. The Espanyol goalkeeper, 23, won the Olympics final with Spain this summer, and he has an agreement on a contract with Arsenal. Now it’s down to a club-to-club agreement, but that’s not going to be a problem from what I’m hearing, so when Ramsdale leaves they will be ready with an official bid for Garcia, this is the idea.

Finally on Arsenal, there have been some headlines again about Mikel Arteta and a new contract. I’m still on the same position that I mentioned in June, which is that I fully expect Arteta to sign a new deal at Arsenal. My info in June was clear, he wants to stay and Arsenal are super happy with him. The plan is absolutely to continue together with a new deal.

Latest on Liverpool’s new goalkeeper and a big potential sale

As I said above, Giorgi Mamardashvili is no longer going to Bournemouth, with the idea being that Liverpool could sign him before he then goes back on loan to Valencia until summer 2025. Mamardashvili has already said yes to Liverpool, and yes to the possibility of staying at Valencia on loan, so it’s close.

The clubs are now trying to complete the final details of the deal, with Alisson to stay as the Liverpool number one for this season. There is still some work to do, but Mamardashvili is close to Liverpool and there is optimism to make it happen.

Meanwhile, Sepp van den Berg is set to leave Liverpool. It will be more than Liverpool expected as they looked for a fee of £20m, but they had several proposals and so they will make £25m for Van den Berg. Brentford and Bayer Leverkusen are both pushing, so let’s see what happens there, but for sure one more outgoing is imminent for Liverpool.

Truth about Ederson and Eriksen transfer situations

Many people have been asking me about Ederson to Manchester United rumours in the last 24 hours. However, as I’ve always been saying, Manuel Ugarte is their top target in midfield and the full focus is on that deal. Man United remain optimistic on Ugarte and they are working on that deal, it could be a loan with obligation from Paris Saint-Germain.

So, it’s progressing well and Ugarte wants to go to Manchester United, he has an agreement and is pushing like crazy to get his move to Old Trafford. Other names like Ederson may have been linked, but the full focus is on Ugarte and also Atalanta don’t want to sell Ederson anyway.

We’re also hearing some speculation about outgoings at United, like with Christian Eriksen. Despite some talk of a return to Ajax, I have no concrete updates on Eriksen so far. We’ve had many rumours but the reality is that Man United have still no proposals on the table, so let’s see what happens in the next few days, but it’s quiet now.

More Stories / Latest News

Raheem Sterling makes unusual decision following arrival at Arsenal

Sep 3 2024, 19:16

Ange Postecoglou makes Radu Dragusin prediction that Spurs fans will love

Sep 3 2024, 18:50

21-year-old talent stuck at Chelsea searching for a way out this month

Sep 3 2024, 18:31

There are also no concrete updates yet on Kobbie Mainoo and a new contract. Man United have been working on Mainoo’s new deal for months, some talks already took place, but now all their energy is being focused on the final eight days of the summer transfer window, then they will resume talks for Mainoo, who is considered a key part of the project.

‘Here we go’ for Gundogan to Man City, plus Vitor Roque’s future

As reported yesterday, Ilkay Gundogan to Manchester City is a ‘here we go’ – the player’s agents were in Manchester in the last 24 hours and he is set to be allowed to leave Barcelona as a free agent.

Barca informed Gundogan of the decision to let him leave on a free transfer, and now he’s said his goodbyes to his teammates as he prepares to return for a second spell at Man City, with Pep Guardiola key to this deal.

Another Barcelona exit to watch is Vitor Roque, who now looks set to move to Real Betis on loan rather than choosing a permanent move to Sporting Lisbon. Roque also had other offers, Al Hilal for sure, but the player rejected them. Then in Italy also Lazio considered a move for Roque, but Sporting were pushing with €20m plus add-ons bid, rejected by the player as he wants to stay in Spain.

It’s not been an easy time for him at Barca so far, but in football things can change fast, so his Barca future, in my opinion, is still open as his performances at Betis will mark his future.

The post Transfer news: Chelsea talks, South American star pushing for Man Utd, Arsenal deal close & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.