Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: N'Golo Kante likely to stay; Blues advised to keep Joao Felix permanently, and more - April 13, 2023
Chelsea fell to a 2-0 defeat at Real Madrid on Wednesday (April 12) in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals. Goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio marked a fruitful night for Carlo Ancelotti’s men at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Meanwhile, N'Golo Kante is likely to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge. Elsewhere, a former player has advised the Blues to keep Joao Felix permanently at the club.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on April 13, 2023:
N'Golo Kante likely to stay
N’Golo Kante is likely to extend his stay at Chelsea, according to people close to the French midfielder.
The 32-year-old’s contract with the Blues runs out at the end of the season, but he's yet to sign a new deal. The situation has generated interest from suitors across Europe, including clubs in the Premier League. Kante has been outstanding since joining the London giants in 2016 but has been plagued with injuries this season.
Speaking recently to Le Parisien, Kante’s camp said that Arsenal are interested in the Frenchman but tipped him to stay at Stamford Bridge for a few more seasons.
"N’Golo would like to continue his career in London, where he has his habits. He liked working with Antonio Conte, but he has been sacked by Tottenham. Arsenal also made an enquiry. … I think he will extend his deal at Chelsea before going to the Middle-East in two or three years," said Kante's entourage.
Kante recently returned to action for Chelsea after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Chelsea advised to keep Joao Felix permanently
Former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson has urged the Blues to sign Joao Felix permanently this summer.
The Portuguese forward arrived at Stamford Bridge in January on a six-month loan deal from Atletico Madrid. The 23-year-old has hit the ground running, but the Blues don’t have an option for a permanent transfer in the loan deal.
Speaking to BetFred, Johnson termed Felix a 'gamechanger'.
"He’s certainly won me over more in the last few games. He showed against Liverpool that he’s clearly a class player, and normally I don’t like to see clubs go all-out to sign one player, but Joao is a gamechanger. He’s got eyes in the back of his head, and he’s a proper, proper footballer," said Johnson.
The Englishman went on to add that his former side should move quickly to prevent the Portuguese from joining their rivals.
"The need to sign him will be even greater if one of the club’s main rivals came in for him. I don’t like to see clubs break the bank for players, and you should only do that if the player is going to be the last piece of the puzzle, but Chelsea’s team are miles away from that," said Johnson.
He added:
"In that sense, Joao is probably a luxury they don’t need, but as he’s currently at the club on loan, and they have the opportunity to sign him, then they should do what they need to do to keep him, especially if a Premier League rival such as Manchester United come in for him."
Felix is likely to leave Los Rojiblancos this summer, but Chelsea will have to pay a premium for his signature.
Blues interested in Giorgi Mamardashvili
Chelsea are interested in Giorgi Mamardashvili, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Valencia goalkeeper is a wanted player ahead of the summer and is likely to ignite a bidding war for his signature. The Blues are looking for an upgrade on Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy and have set their sights on the Georgian.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano said that Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur also have their eyes on Mamardashvili.
"Leicester have approached Giorgi Mamardashvili by meeting his agent a few days ago, but in this case, it depends on their future in the Premier League. I’m told Tottenham and Chelsea are informed on the conditions of the deal, but there’s no time to enter into advanced talks, as both clubs don’t know who their new coach will be yet; and that’s a crucial step before making a decision on goalkeepers," wrote Romano.
The 22-year-old could be available for a reduced fee should Valencia fail to survive the drop.