Chelsea transfer round-up: Record bid for Diego Costa, Conte wants Mbappe and more
Tianjin Quanjian to offer £620k-per-week to Costa
Diego Costa looks certain to seal a move away from Chelsea this summer after Daily Mail reported a story earlier today which claimed that the Spanish striker will be offered a mouth-watering £620k-per-week to join the Chinese Super League side Tianjin Quanjian.
Costa is still furious with The Blues for blocking his move to China last summer and will have another chance in the summer to accept the lucrative offer. Costa has failed to score in his last five Premier League games and with Romelu Lukaku looking certain to join Chelsea, Costa is likely to move away from English shores this summer.
Blues in pole position for James Rodgriguez
Chelsea are in pole position to sign Real Madrid playmaker James Rodriguez despite a late interest from Serie A side Inter Milan, according to reports from Calciomercato. James has been left frustrated with the lack of game time under Zinedine Zidane and has been linked with every major club in Europe.
However, Calciomercato claims, Chelsea have contacted the player’s agent Jorge Mendes and have a verbal agreement to sign the Colombian star who has all but revealed his decision to quit Bernabeu this summer.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is keen to ask for James or Isco if Real Madrid come calling for Eden Hazard, who has been linked with a 100m move to La Liga this summer.
Conte wants Mbappe at Stamford Bridge
AS Monaco wonderkid Kylian Mbpappe has got Antonio Conte’s attention and the Chelsea manager is now keen to sign the French star this summer, according to French outlet RMC.
Mbappe has taken the European football by storm and has scored 22 goals in 36 appearances, including a strike against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-final tie. RMC claims that Real Madrid, Manchester United and Barcelona are all looking at Mbappe as their key summer signing and are prepared to splash beyond £100m.
Mbappe is under contract until 2019 but Monaco sporting director Antonio Cordon has confirmed the deal contains a release clause.
Cordon said, "I hope he stays for the good of Monaco, but we know how the market works and what football is like. He has a clause and it’s quite a lot of money. I don’t know exactly how much, but it’s a lot."
Liverpool make £42m offer for Morata
Chelsea are set to face stiff competition for their number one striker target Alvaro Morata, according to Don Balon, who claim Liverpool have readied a £42m offer for the Spanish striker. Morata along with Isco and James Rodriguez are certain to quit Real Madrid this summer and are set to cause a transfer battle among the Premier League clubs.
Blues manager Antonio Conte wants Morata as a replacement for Diego Costa, who has a world record £32m-per-year offer from Chinese Super League. However, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp wants a quality center forward next season and is set to part ways with Daniel Sturridge in the summer.
Real Madrid are linked with Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang which more or less confirms Morata’s exit who has not started back to back league games this season. There are also suggestions of Cristiano Ronaldo playing in the center forward role next season with Eden Hazard linked with a £100m move Santiago Bernabeu.