Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Bayern Munich interested in Blues star; club planning move for La Liga ace, and more - 31 January 2022
Chelsea are preparing to face Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday. The London side are coming off a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich are interested in Hakim Ziyech. Elsewhere, the Blues are planning a move for a Sevilla star. On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on 31st January 2022.
Bayern Munich interested in Hakim Ziyech
Bayern Munich are interested in Hakim Ziyech, according to The Hard Tackle via Fichajes. The Bavarians are interested in a loan move for the Moroccan, and could dive for him on deadline day tonight.
Ziyech joined Chelsea in the summer of 2020 amidst a lot of hype. However, the 28-year-old has endured a disappointing time at Stamford Bridge, but there have been signs of a resurgence of late. The Moroccan has managed just nine starts in the Premier League this season. Interestingly, seven of those have come in the last two months. He has managed to wrestle back into Thomas Tuchel's plans at Stamford Bridge.
Ziyech's performances have earned admiration from the Bundesliga giants. The Bavarians have tied Kingsley Coman to a new deal. Negotiations are also ongoing to convince Robert Lewandowski to stay. However, Julian Nagelsmann desires more attacking depth in his squad, and has his eyes on Ziyech.
Bayern Munich have joined the race to sign Hakim Ziyech from Chelsea.
{Fichajes}
The German manager thinks Ziyech's style of play could suit his tactics. The 28-year-old is viewed as the ideal backup for Thomas Muller and Leroy Sane. Bayern Munich want Ziyech on loan for the rest of the season, with an option to buy in the summer.
However, Chelsea are yet to make a decision on the Moroccan's future. Tuchel is struggling with a faltering attack, and Ziyech has moved ahead of Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi in the pecking order. As such, the Blues might not be ready to let Ziyech leave this month. A move in the summer might be a more plausible option for the Bavarians.
Chelsea planning move for Jules Kounde
Chelsea are putting preparations in place to sign Jules Kounde in the summer, according to AS. The London side are desperate to bolster their attack this year. Thomas Tuchel is expected to lose Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen at the end of the season. The German wants to address the same by roping in Kounde.
The Frenchman was close to a move to Stamford Bridge last summer before negotiations broke down in the eleventh hour. The 23-year-old has gone from strength to strength since then.
The Blues are aware he is attracting a lot of attention from around Europe. The Premier League giants want to complete a move for Kounde before the end of the season to steer clear of the competition. They are willing to dish out around €55 million for Kounde.
Leeds United monitoring Kennedy
Leeds United are keeping a close eye on Kennedy, according to journalist Mike McGrath. The Brazilian winger is an isolated figure at Chelsea, and has spent more time out on loan than with the first team. He was recalled from his loan spell with Flamengo earlier this month as the Blues are grappling with a wing-back crisis.
#LUFC enquired about #CFC Chelsea forward Kenedy (similar profile to Minamino) but deal has not progressed ahead of deadline. They are in market for a No2 gk still
The 25-year-old is versatile enough to play in the backline, something that has endeared him to Leeds. The Whites have even enquired about his availability this month. However, there has been little progress in that regard, and a deal for the player is unlikely to materialise in January.