5.15pm Chelsea transfer news LIVE: Rice-Palmieri swap, Mendy LATEST, Lampard talks Kante future, Giroud wants to stay – The Sun
CHELSEA are close to securing the signature of Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy as Frank Lampard looks to complete his summer business.
Meanwhile Emerson Palmieri could be used as a makeweight to bring Declan Rice to Stamford Bridge.
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Get all the latest transfer gossip and updates from Stamford Bridge…
OSCAR WORTHY
Former Chelsea star Oscar revealed Willian and David Luiz have tried to tempt him to Arsenal.
The Brazilian trio all played at Chelsea together, but Luiz was this summer joined at the Emirates by Willian.
And they wanted Oscar to link up with them again.
He revealed: “They called me, they had to call me. Because we have good communication. Sometimes I talk to them. They said ‘come to Arsenal, come here’
“But for me it’s a little more difficult. I have a contract with Shanghai, it’s a little more difficult to leave. Willian had finished the contract.
“I was happy that they got together again. And happy that Willian is happy. The most important thing is to be happy, regardless of the place. So I hope they are happy there.”
TOP TIPS
The Premier League has returned with a bang this weekend – but it's not over yet.
And tonight it is the return of Chelsea as they take on Brighton.
Ahead of the Blues away trip, we have some betting tips for the game including Christian Pulisic to score and over 2.5 goals during the match.
Click here for more.
DOMINATION
Gary Neville claims Manchester United and Chelsea have no chance of winning the title as long as Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola remain in the Premier League.
Hetold The Mirror: “The one thing I can guarantee you is that United will win again.
“That might not be this year or next year, but it will be amazing when they win again, and the longer it builds up, the greater the actual feeling is when you do it.
“It will be, maybe, when Klopp and Guardiola leave Liverpool and City – hopefully in the next couple of years!
“That will be the chance, as they’re two outstanding managers who have built really good teams, but they’ll leave in the next one, two or three years.
“That will be the point when United can come back in and capitalise – I’m sure Chelsea are thinking that way as well.”
CAL ON ME
Callum Hudson-Odoi was told that he could be loaned out this season after the signing of Kai Havertz, according to reports.
The England winger could struggle for game-time after the Blues brought in a number of new players this summer.
Chelsea's £72million signing Havertz has joined Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner this summer in an exciting attacking trio that could keep Hudson-Odoi struggling for first-team action.
And according to 90min, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has told the wide man that he could be sent out on loan.
Hudson-Odoi started just seven Premier League games last season, after recovering from an achilles injury.
CHELSEA FIXTURES
Here are the Blues' upcoming games.
And in case you needed reminding, THE SEASON STARTS TONIGHT.
CHILLY'S WARM WELCOME
Mason Mount has already revealed Ben Chilwell's nickname around Cobham.
The Chelsea midfielder told Sky Sports: “Some of them we know very well, like Ben – Chilly – he’s come in and been around the boys quickly.
“I haven’t seen him for a long time because I was away with England.
“The German boys have come in, brilliant players, they add something to the group.
“Hakim as well, Thiago I haven’t met yet, he seems like a brilliant player.
“It’s all about competition at this club – world class players and they’re going to make all of us better.”
RIP BUTCH
Today would have been Chelsea legend Ray Wilkins' 64th birthday.
This phone call to talkSPORT from a former homeless man sums up the character of the guy perfectly.
Here's to you, Butch.
HANG 10
Frank Lampard has revealed he phoned Christian Pulisic to offer him the No10 shirt at Chelsea after Willian left the club.
Eden Hazard had previously worn the figure on the back of his shirt, while American Pulisic was drafted in as the Belgian’s long-term replacement.
Lampard said: “He came last year and Willian was almost the man in waiting at the club to take the No 10 shirt and I think it was right he took it with his experience.
“When it became open I think what Christian delivered in his first year more than warranted that he gets the shirt and what it means.”
WE 'ADOR-YA
Danny Drinkwater could be offered an exit from his Chelsea nightmare with a switch to Claudio Ranieri’s Sampdoria.
The 2015-16 Premier League winning midfielder played just six games on loan at Aston Villa and Burnley last season.
And he revealed he is not just at Chelsea for the money last week in an interview with the Telegraph.
Now Drinkwater, 30, has been linked with a switch to Sampdoria, where British stars such as David Platt and Graeme Souness have thrived in the past.
According to Il Secolo XIX, an intermediary has been in touch with both parties to try and spark a deal.
POTENTIAL FORMATIONS: 4-5-1
The final selection is the most-defensive setup, which I would not expect to see very often but can be useful if we are defending a lead against a strong attacking opponent.
James, Silva, Zouma and Chilwell remain the first-choice back-four – but Azpilicueta would start at right-back in this formation to allow James a more advanced role.
The five in midfield would feature Jorginho in the holding spot, Kante and Kovacic just ahead of him, with Mason Mount and James as the wide midfielders.
Giroud would get the nod up top as a target man outlet for the inevitable long balls that come with such a defensive line-up.
POTENTIAL FORMATIONS: 3-4-3
This is a formation Lampard has played quite a lot as well and would allow for more attacking wide players.
I would use the same back three as the 3-5-2, but my midfield would consist of Kante and Kovacic in the central positions, with Callum Hudson-Odoi on the right and Pulisic on the left.
You could then use Havertz wide on the right, with Werner on the left, and Olivier Giroud as the target man.
This could provide the perfect balance of attack and defence, should the wide midfielders be disciplined with their defensive duties.
POTENTIAL FORMATIONS: 4–2-3-1
Against the better sides, Chelsea will still look to play attacking football, but are likely to opt for two deeper holding midfielders.
Using the same back 4 as the 4-3-3, Kante will be accompanied by Mateo Kovacic in the double pivot.
Havertz then takes on a sole No10 role, with Pulisic, Ziyech and Werner in attack.
POTENTIAL FORMATIONS: 3-5-2
A lot has been said about whether Werner can play the lone striker role in the Premier League.
I believe he can, but Chelsea do have the option of playing two strikers in a 3-5-2 formation.
For me, this would feature a back-three of Zouma on the left, Silva in the middle and Azpilicueta on the right.
Chilwell and James then provide the width as wing backs.
The midfield three could then consist of Kante in the defensive role, behind Havertz and Ziyech – both of whom have plenty of experience playing in that position.
POTENTIAL FORMATIONS: 4-3-3
SunSport's Chelsea fan writer Simon Phillips has come up with various formations the Blues could use this season. See what he thinks in our series of posts:
Against weaker sides where Lampard will be playing against deep and congested defensive lines, I believe he will use the 4-3-3 with two No8s.
The situation surrounding the signing of a new goalkeeper is still up in the air, so Kepa Arrizabalaga is safe, for now.
The Spaniard will most-likely have Reece James, Kurt Zouma, Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell ahead of him when all are fit.
In midfield I would have N’Golo Kante as the sole holding midfielder, with two more-advanced midfielders pushing further forward.
STRIKE IT RICH
Roman Abramovich is the most generous owner in the Premier League, according to football finance expert Swiss Ramble.
The Russian has poured £440million into Chelsea in the last five years.
Compare that to Manchester United, who are bottom of this particular table, with £89m withdrawn from the club in the last five years.
PREDICTED XI
Chelsea are finally set to kick off their 2020-21 season against Brighton tonight.
Frank Lampard has added a host of quality players to his squad this summer, with fans excited to see what they can do.
But, frustratingly, the Blues boss won’t have the majority available just yet.
Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell will both miss out through injury while Thiago Silva is yet to train with the squad.
In fact, the only two new players expected to be in for a chance of featuring on Monday are German duo Timo Werner and Kai Havertz.
Both have had plenty of time training with their new team-mates and could be in line to start against the Seagulls.
Here is how SunSport think they will line up on the South Coast.
STICKY RICE
Declan Rice is not for sale “under any circumstances” according to David Ornstein.
The Chelsea target was part of West Ham's miserable 2-0 home loss to Newcastle on Saturday.
But Ornstein claims the Blues have no chance of signing the midfielder, who Frank Lampard reckons can become a defender.
MORE LAMPTEY
The Brighton full-back added: “I’m very determined.
“Whoever I play against, you have to give them respect because they’re top quality players, but you also have to back yourself and have belief in yourself.
“I believe that I have got the ability to make the best of it and get the better of my man.
“That’s just my game. I’m not scared to take on players or who is ahead of me, it’s just another player that I have to try to get the better of.”
LAMPS VS LAMPS
Tariq Lamptey meteoric rise has happened so fast that even he has been left stunned by it – as he gets set to face Chelsea.
The 19-year-old has been a revelation since joining Brighton from Chelsea’s reserves in January and last week earned his first England Under-21 cap.
Lamptey said: “It’s happened so fast, it’s unbelievable.
“Sometimes I just have to sit back and think, ‘Wow, this is a lot.
“But I’ve worked hard to get here and I’m grateful that I’ve got the opportunities that I’ve been getting.
“Hopefully it’s just the start and I can keep improving, building and getting better and better.”
MORE LAMPARD
The Chelsea boss added: “The reality is most clubs that win the league in the modern day have recruited well and have recruited at quite a high level money wise.
“You can go through the Liverpool players Virgil Van Dijk, Alisson, Fabinho, Naby Keita, Sadio Mane, Mo Salah – incredible players that came at a very high price.
“Liverpool have done it over a period of time.
“What we have done is come off the back of a ban and tried to address the situation ourselves to help improve us.
“It’s par for the course. We all know that.”
SPEAKING FRANKLY
Frank Lampard labelled Jurgen Klopp a hypocrite for criticising Chelsea’s summer spending.
Boss Lampard insists his £200m spree is merely playing catch up with Premier League champions Liverpool following a transfer ban.
Reds chief Klopp lost out to Chelsea in the £48m signing of striker Timo Werner and claims his team cannot operate like his Premier League rival.
But Lampard said: “There’s no point doing the maths. We know that Liverpool have spent at a high level.
“With Liverpool, it’s a fantastic story of a club over the four and a half or five years that Jurgen Klopp’s been there where they’ve managed to get recruitment right to a really high level.”
GOOD MORNING BLUES FANS
Chelsea face Brighton tonight in their first game of the new Premier League season.
Excited supporters are set to see new summer signings Timo Werner and Kai Havertz handed their competitive debuts by Frank Lampard at the Amex.
However, fellow arrivals Ben Chilwell and Hakim Ziyech will miss out through injury.
And there will also be no place for Thiago Silva, who has only just returned to training following PSG’s Champions League campaign.
In other news, boss Lampard has called Jurgen Klopp a hypocrite for criticising Chelsea’s summer spending.
Lamps said: “There’s no point doing the maths. We know that Liverpool have spent at a high level
“You can go through the Liverpool players Virgil Van Dijk, Alisson, Fabinho, Naby Keita, Sadio Mane, Mo Salah – incredible players that came at a very high price.
“Liverpool have done it over a period of time. What we have done is come off the back of a ban and tried to address the situation ourselves to help improve us.”
Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen chief Rudi Voller claims Chelsea took advantage of the coronavirus crisis to sign Havertz ahead of other interested clubs.
He told Bild: “[Chelsea] simply made good use of the coronavirus period.
“Next year it would have been much harder for Chelsea to get Kai. [Other interested teams] preferred to hold back because of the high transfer fee in this special and uncertain time.”
Finally, reports claim Hellas Verona defender Marash Kumbulla is wanted by Chelsea.
L’Arena claims the Albanian centre-back is a target for the Blues before deadline day.
FROM SUNSPORT’S DANNY HIGGINBOTHAM
Chelsea finally have the players creative enough to open teams up – and then be clinical enough to take full advantage.
The likes of Kai Havertz operate best in tight spaces, and the young German midfielder will add that extra dynamic when opening up tight defences.
And when fit, that’s exactly what Hakim Ziyech can bring also from out wide.
And in Timo Werner, they have a deadly finisher that rarely lets chances pass him by.
READ THE REST OF HIGGO’S ANALYSIS HERE
FROM SUNSPORT’S ANDY DILLON
Frank Lampard has called Jurgen Klopp a hypocrite for criticising Chelsea’s summer spending.
Lamps said: “There’s no point doing the maths. We know that Liverpool have spent at a high level
“The reality is most clubs that win the league in the modern day have recruited well and have recruited at quite a high level money wise.
“You can go through the Liverpool players Virgil Van Dijk, Alisson, Fabinho, Naby Keita, Sadio Mane, Mo Salah – incredible players that came at a very high price.
“Liverpool have done it over a period of time. What we have done is come off the back of a ban and tried to address the situation ourselves to help improve us. It’s par for the course. We all know that.”
FRANTASY FOOTBALL
Fran Kirby hit her first league goal in 16 months after being told she may never play football again.
The England striker was one of nine different scorers as rampant Chelsea beat Bristol City 9-0 in the WSL.
READ OUR FULL MATCH REPORT HERE
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