Now that the Mason Mount saga is over, Mauricio Pochettino can finally get his feet under the table and begin his project at Chelsea without anymore distractions. The West Londoners appear to be in the market for a striker, creative midfielder, defensive midfielder and possibly a goalkeeper.
Harry Kane, Lautaro Martinez and Dusan Vlahovic have all been heavily linked with moves to Stamford Bridge recently, but the former Tottenham boss seems to prefer Paulo Dybala instead . Rayan Cherki has recently emerged as a target for Chelsea, with Gabri Veiga reportedly off to Paris Saint-Germain. Moises Caicedo remains a top target this summer, but the Blues don't seem to have made much progress as of yet.
Between the sticks, there ae not too many options. Andre Onana looked set to replace Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizbalaga but, with Manchester United leading that race, Chelsea could turn their attention to Diogo Costa from Porto . So, with all that being said, stay with us on football.london's dedicated Chelsea live blog as we bring you all the latest transfer gossip from Stamford Bridge!
Chelsea set to sign Everton academy star
Chelsea are set to sign Everton academy star Ishe Samuels- Smith for a fee of around £4million, according to the Athletic . The 17-year-old defender is set to sign a three-year deal at Stamford Bridge. He is yet to make a debut for Everton but is highly-rated and was included in the first-team squad twice last season.
Andrey Santos decision
According to Fabrizio Romano , Chelsea have "no intention" of approving a loan move for Andrey Santos until Mauricio Pochettino has seen the player in pre-season training. Reports in Portugal have suggested that the Brazilian star could be on his way to Porto, but apparently nothing has been agreed just yet.
Mudryk on form
Unfortunately for Mykhailo Mudryk, his European Under-21 Championship is over after Ukraine were knocked out in a 5-1 defeat by Spain. However, the Chelsea star was again on form, leaving the Spanish full-back for dust as he created the first goal of the game.
Mauricio Pochettino has been shown exactly what the attacker can do, with the former Shakhtar star likely to head for a short break before joining up with the team for pre- season training.
Dybala request
Chelsea have reportedly identified Paulo Dybala as a potential target this summer. The 29-year-old forward has been heavily linked with an exit from Roma following his eye- catching displays last season. Dybala, who sees his contract at the Stadio Olimpico expire in 2025, featured 25 times for Jose Mourinho's side in the Serie A, directly contributing towards 19 goals.
His impressive performances for the Italian giants have reportedly courted the interest of some top clubs around Europe, and he could be available for just €12million (£10.3m). According to Italian journalist Matteo De Santis, as quoted by RomaPress , Chelsea are considering a move for Dybala, who has been specifically requested by Pochettino. However, the report states that Roma aren't concerned by the Blues' interest and remain confident in keeping him on board next season.
Mbappe chance
Chelsea will be on red alert after the Paris Saint-Germain president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, suggested that Kylian Mbappe will be sold this summer unless he signs a contract extension. The 24-year-old forward faces an increasingly uncertain future in the French capital, with his deal at Les Parc des Princes set to expire at the end of next season .
"We want him to stay but he can't leave for free," said Al- Khelaifi, as translated by Le Parisien . "It was our oral agreement and he had expressed it publicly in an interview. So it's not debatable. And I was really shocked to learn that he intended to leave for free.
"It's very disappointing because Kylian is a fantastic boy, a real gentleman, and leaving for free, weakening the biggest French club, it's not him. When I received this information, I was shocked and disappointed."
Then, when quizzed on how long Mbappe has to make a decision, Al-Khelaifi replied:
"That's why he has to decide next week, or at most in two weeks. And if he doesn't want to sign a new contract, the door is open. It's like that for him and for everyone else. No one is bigger than the club, no player, not even me. It's very clear."
Colwill to Liverpool?
Liverpool remain interested in Levi Colwill this summer, football.london understands, but Chelsea remain determined to keep hold of the young defender. The 20-year-old is due to return to the Blues once the Under-21s European Championships, where he is representing semi-finalists England, has concluded. Colwill is a man very much in-demand this summer after a really impressive 2022/23 season on loan down on the south coast with Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Seagulls want to sign Colwill permanently and have already seen two offers turned down by Chelsea for the defender. The Cobham graduate is set to join up with the rest of the Chelsea squad and meet new head coach Mauricio Pochettino over the next couple of weeks where he will sit down with the Argentine and discuss what is in store for him.