Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Blues planning £40 million Mohammed Kudus move; club receive Dusan Vlahovic boost, and more - August 3, 2023
Chelsea are working to add more quality to their squad following a disappointing 2022-23 campaign. The Blues finished 12th in the league last season and will not compete in Europe in the upcoming campaign.
Meanwhile, the London giants are planning a £40 million move for Ajax striker Mohammed Kudus. Elsewhere, new Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino has received a boost in his plans to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on August 3, 2023:
Chelsea planning £40 million Mohammed Kudus move
Transfer insider Ben Jacobs has said that Chelsea are willing to pay £40 million for the services of Mohammed Kudus.
The Ghanaian has gone from strength to strength with Ajax in recent seasons and has turned heads at Stamford Bridge. The Blues suffered due to an inconsistent attack last season and are looking to add more creativity to their ranks this summer.
Jacobs told Give Me Sport that Kudus fits the profile of players the Blues are interested in.
"He’s the type of player that fits the Chelsea profile. He's 22 years old; he’s an attacking midfielder, and he wants to leave Ajax. I think that the fee is going to be really interesting.
"Chelsea, I think, will be looking for around £40 million, but we have to wait and see whether that's enough," said Jacobs.
Arsenal have also been linked with a move for Kudus.
Blues receive Dusan Vlahovic boost
Chelsea have received a boost in their plans to sign Dusan Vlahovic this summer. According to acclaimed journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are willing to accept an offer of Romelu Lukaku plus £40 million for the Serbian striker.
The Blues are eager to bring in a new striker this summer, despite already bolstering their attack by roping in Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson. Pochettino has set his sights on Vlahovic.
The 23-year-old has done a decent job at Turin but remains unsettled at the club. The Bianconeri are interested in letting him go and have identified Lukaku as a possible replacement. The London giants remain desperate to offload the Belgian this summer, and Juventus are willing to take him off their hands.
The Serie A giants are likely to initiate negotiation for Vlahovic by demanding £50 million plus Lukaku for the Serbian before settling for £10 million less. However, Chelsea are hoping to get a deal done for a much lesser fee.
Mauricio Pochettino sends Levi Colwill warning
Mauricio Pochettino has warned Levi Colwill that he will have to prove his worth to get an extended run with Chelsea's starting XI.
The English defender ended all speculation regarding his future by penning a new six-year contract with the Blues this week. The 20-year-old is highly rated at Stamford Bridge and is expected to break into the first team next season.
Speaking to the press, as cited by Caught Offside, Pochettino lavished praise on Colwill.
"We assume he is going to play. I was clear with him. We were talking about him having the possibility to compete with different teammates. If he deserves to play, he will play.
"The possibility to play is higher because Ben Badiashile is injured, and he is left-footed and will compete with Ben," said Pochettino.
He continued:
"He needs to deserve it. It's not because of one player’s injury. Different types of combinations can happen. At the moment, I need to see him, and we need to know each other better. He is a fantastic talent. We are talking also about how we can improve his game in all areas.”
Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool were interested in the Englishman this summer