Chelsea move for Palestra, plan Cucurella windfall
Chelsea hijack Inter, agreeing €50m plus add-ons with Atalanta for 21-year-old full-back Marco Palestra, who can play both flanks and midfield after a breakout loan at Cagliari.
Pete O’Rourke says Nicolas Jackson will return for pre-season to impress Xabi Alonso, with a ‘clean slate’ on offer after tensions under Enzo Maresca.
Sources say Liam Delap wants to stay and fight for his place, but Chelsea could sanction a move if good offers arrive, with Everton exploring a deal.
With Cucurella gone, Chelsea seek a left-back, but Fabrizio Romano says Alvaro Carreras is expected to stay at Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho, leaving Fran Garcia’s future unclear.
Gianfranco Zola welcomes Xabi Alonso’s arrival but predicts a ‘challenging’ season as Chelsea seek improvement after a poor campaign.
David Ornstein says Lucas Bergvall wants to leave Tottenham. Chelsea previously made contact and could revive interest, though Spurs hold him on a long deal to 2031.
Reece James impressed defensively vs Ghana but must quicken play and regain attacking thrust to fit Xabi Alonso’s high-tempo, line-breaking full-back demands.
Chelsea demand up to £10m from Man City for Enzo Maresca after his January exit, leaving City ‘annoyed and frustrated’ as talks continue over appointing him.
Simon Phillips says Real Madrid talks for Enzo Fernandez are not active, but a fee as low as £85m plus bonuses could tempt Chelsea after the World Cup.
Strasbourg, Chelsea’s sister club, ‘want’ coach Filipe Luis, who was linked to Chelsea, but Monaco look set to hire him, making Strasbourg’s move unrealistic.
Man City target Chelsea right-back Malo Gusto for around £45m, with Enzo Maresca keen on a reunion. Chelsea are open to a sale after signing Marco Palestra. Inter also interested, with Tino Livramento an alternative.
Chelsea ‘really want’ Adam Wharton as Enzo Fernandez’s potential replacement, but Crystal Palace value the midfielder at around £100m, making a deal difficult.
Chelsea are not actively looking to sell Wesley Fofana. A sale would likely need £30m to avoid a book loss after paying £70m, amid broader centre-back reshuffle plans.
Rumours link Chelsea with Aurélien Tchouaméni and Tyler Adams, plus interest in Atalanta’s Marco Palestra and AZ’s Kees Smit, while monitoring Brian Brobbey at the World Cup.
Chelsea pleased with Marc Cucurella sale to Real Madrid, trust Jorrel Hato’s progress and plan to reinvest the €52m, with a new left-back not guaranteed to take the whole sum.
Centre-back is a priority, but Chelsea must sell first. Exits for Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo are needed before buying, with the World Cup slowing the market.
