Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Blues leading Mohammed Kudus race; club reach Axel Disasi agreement, and more - July 31, 2023
Chelsea are hoping to get back to their best under Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentinean manager has been handed the keys to the first team at the start of the month.
Meanwhile, the Blues are the frontrunners to win the race for Ajax striker Mohammed Kudus. Elsewhere, the London giants have reached an agreement with Monaco for the transfer of midfielder Axel Disasi this summer.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on July 31, 2023:
Chelsea leading Mohammed Kudus race
Chelsea are the favourites to sign Mohammed Kudus this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.
The Blues are among a host of clubs, including Arsenal, following the Ghanaian with interest. The 22-year-old has caught the eye recently with Ajax and is likely to leave the Eredivisie side this year.
Kudus’ versatility and attacking pedigree make him a perfect fit for Pochettino’s tactics at Stamford Bridge. Jacobs told Give Me Sport that the London giants have offered the Ghanaian a better package and are also showing the most interest in his services.
“Nothing has really moved with Arsenal and Kudus at this point. They made an inquiry a couple of weeks back, but I think that it's fair to say at this stage that Chelsea are the more active on Kudus and perhaps have even offered him a slightly better package as well. So I would be looking more at Chelsea than Arsenal at this stage,” said Jacobs.
Pochettino is keen to improve his frontline ahead of the new campaign and has roped in Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson
Blues reach Axel Disasi agreement
Chelsea have reached an agreement with Monaco to take Axel Disasi to Stamford Bridge this summer, according to transfer expert David Ornstein.
The Blues are in the market for a replacement for Wesley Fofana, who recently suffered a ruptured cruciate ligament. The French defender required surgery to address the issue and is expected to miss a chunk of the upcoming season.
The situation has forced Pochettino into the market, and the Argentinean manager has found his man in Disasi. The 25-year-old has enjoyed an impressive rise with Monaco recently and has turned heads at multiple clubs across Europe.
However, the London giants have won the race for his services this summer. Chelsea have agreed to pay the French club £39 million for Disasi.
Chelsea ready to end Moises Caicedo pursuit
Chelsea are frustrated by the lack of progress in their pursuit of Moises Caicedo and are ready to end the chase, according to Ben Jacobs.
Pochettino has made the Ecuadorian midfielder a priority target for the summer. The Blues have been locked in talks with Brighton & Hove Albion for a while, but a breakthrough appears nowhere in sight. The Seagulls have rejected multiple offers for their prized asset.
Jacobs told Give Me Sport that Brighton are expecting close to £100 million to let the 21-year-old leave this summer.
“Chelsea are sticking to their guns. They believe that Caicedo should be sold for £80 million or less and at the moment, their offers have been less than £80 million. From Brighton’s point of view, the feeling is they're holding out for something closer to £100 million, although they've never explicitly quoted that number to Chelsea," said Jacobs.
He continued:
"So it's a bit of a game at the moment because obviously, Brighton are in no rush to sell Caicedo, but the player is in a rush to leave and Chelsea have got a little bit impatient.”
Caicedo has all the abilities to become N’Golo Kante’s successor for the London giants.