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Chelsea: Bid for unhappy striker; Portugal star wanted; approach for midfielder rejected
The Diego Costa saga continues, as Antonio Conte declared that he will be staying at Stamford Bridge and is of “fundamental importance” to his plans for the coming season, say . This follows claims from the that the London club will be sending a second written warning to Atletico Madrid over their very public pursuit of their former top scorer.
This comes days after president Enrique Cerezo was forced to deny claims that he said that the club and player were in talks, with the Spaniard “close” to a return to the Vicente Calderon. Costa is an important player for Chelsea, and is expected to return to form and fitness after a full and thorough pre-season under new boss Antonio Conte, who is not prepared to allow him to leave London.
The news will be of even bigger importance given that the claims that Loic Remy could be subject to a bid from Besiktas if they fail in their attempts to sign Mario Gomez. The Frenchman has made 32 appearances for the Blues in his two years at the club, scoring 8 goals, but suffered from injuries last season and will turn 30 in January.
The option to recoup some of the £10.5 million paid for the former QPR man may tempt Chelsea, who could replace him with a younger alternative, although it is said that Remy himself still retains hope of establishing himself at Stamford Bridge.
In one of the more unexpected transfer rumours of the summer, there was speculation that Chelsea had made a move for former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan in May, though the player now denies this, according to . The Ghana forward is expected to leave his Chinese club after they signed Brazilian Hulk this summer, but has been prolific since his 11 goals in 33 games season at the Stadium of Light.
Although on reported wages of around £227,000 a week, he scored an impressive 128 goals in 120 games in the UAE, and has now scored 10 in 15 in China. He could well represent an alternative to Loic Remy should the Blues want to retain some experience in their squad.
In more exciting news for Chelsea fans, Alvaro Morata will seek talks with Real Madrid bosses this week in order to clarify his future, the understands. The Spain striker wants assurances that he will be in line for first team football, and if not, he will try to force a move away from the club.
Chelsea have shown no sign of being deterred since the Madrid side announced that he would form part of their first team squad next season, and have had a bid rejected. Antonio Conte reportedly sees Morata as the perfect foil for Diego Costa in a striking partnership.
Chelsea are also involved in a transfer battle for Valencia and Portugal midfielder Andre Gomes according to the . They claim that a bid of £54 million will be necessary, with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona also chasing the creative midfielder. With links to owner Peter Lim and agent Jorge Mendes, Real Madrid are said to be in pole position.
However, that may not be all bad news for Chelsea, who would be likely to make an offer for either James Rodriguez or Isco, who would have to be sold to fund the deal, claim the tabloid. It shows a desire for Antonio Conte to add quality in depth to his midfield and provide competition for the likes of Eden Hazard.
The Blues have also been forced to reject a £14,25 million bid for their defender Andreas Christensen from his loan club Borussia Monchengladbach if reports are accurate. The 20 year old is currently halfway through a two year loan spell at the club, and no further talks regarding a permanent switch are expected until the winter transfer window.
For such a substantial offer, it may be tempting for Chelsea to allow the Danish centre back to depart, but the player clearly has quality, having proven himself in the Bundesliga at such a young age, and may be a long term solution at the back for Antonio Conte as he continues to rebuild his defence.
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