Romelu Lukaku: Chelsea close to agreeing £97.5m deal to re-sign striker

Chelsea are close to agreeing a £97.5m (€115m) deal to re-sign striker Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan. 

Why it is too early to write off Man Utd's title hopes - Phil Neville

Manchester United made a disastrous start against Chelsea on Sunday - and got worse as the game went on.

From what I saw from United in their 4-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge, I don't think they are anywhere near the level that their manager Jose Mourinho wants them to be at, and it will probably take them a lot more time to get there.

But what I would add is that they have come out of a period of tough games, and they are going into a spell where their fixtures look a lot more winnable. Mourinho said so himself afterwards.

The next few weeks are an important time for them because you don't win the league by beating the clubs around you - you win it by beating everyone else.

That is what United have to do now, and they have to be more ruthless because draws will not be enough - for me, when they were held at home by Stoke at the start of October, it was almost as disappointing as Sunday's defeat.

In the next few weeks, United are at home to Arsenal but also play Burnley, Swansea and West Ham. Even if they only win those three games, then their world is a brighter place.

Yes, United need to go on a run to make up the ground they have lost but they are only six points off the top of the table and we have already seen things can change very quickly in the title race

After a great start, leaders Manchester City have gone three games without a win and look like they have lost confidence. I don't see a side playing with any rhythm or fluidity.

And it looked like Tottenham's victory over City had launched their season - but they have drawn both their league games since.

It is one of those years where there is not going to be a runaway winner, so United just have to stay in touch at the top.

What Chelsea have done recently is an example of why it is far too early to write United's season off.

After the first six games of the season, which saw them struggle defensively and lose to Liverpool and Arsenal, I was wondering what their new manager Antonio Conte was doing. His team looked like the same old Chelsea who struggled last year.

But then Conte changed to the 3-5-2 formation that has brought him such success with Juventus and Italy, and they have not looked back.

In three games since, against Hull, Leicester and now United they have scored nine goals, kept three clean sheets and picked up nine points.

All of a sudden, their forward players are playing with freedom - plus they have a solid foundation behind them with their three centre-halves plus N'Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic in midfield.

Hazard in particular has benefited because he is taking up much better positions and is having a greater effect on games for the full 90 minutes because the defensive responsibility is totally off him.

While Chelsea look like they have found the formation and system that suits them, United are still searching for theirs.

It looked like they might have found it against Liverpool at Anfield on Monday night when they were hard to beat, solid, aggressive and a threat going forward.

They still created chances against Chelsea on Sunday but pretty much everything else went out of the window - they were opened up far too easily and did not have the same aggression.

While Monday's 0-0 draw was a fantastic defensive performance, where United looked like they wanted to defend and enjoyed it, against Chelsea they did neither.

Conceding the first goal after only 30 seconds killed their game-plan but they made things worse after that by trying to chase the game.

Instead of being hard to break down it looked like they were trying to play their way out of trouble and it played into Chelsea's hands.

The Blues were not bothered about United having more possession because they knew the more they had of the more ball, the wider open they would be when they hit them on the counter-attack.

As the game went on, United took too many chances at the back and looked extremely vulnerable.

They became ragged and their players lost concentration, which is something you would never normally associate with a Mourinho side, and Chelsea's third goal epitomised United's poor defensive display.

Yes, it was a good pass from Nemanja Matic to give Eden Hazard the chance to take on Chris Smalling inside the area but you would not normally find those gaps.

So, I am not surprised that the biggest thing Mourinho was disappointed about afterwards was the mistakes that led to all four of Chelsea's goals.

It is not as though the Blues continuously opened United up. Cut out those errors, and it would have been a much tighter game.

Mourinho never spoke to me at Chelsea – Moses

Victor Moses is enjoying life under Antonio Conte at Chelsea, having had a strained relationship with former manager Jose Mourinho.

The former Wigan Athletic winger moved to Stamford Bridge in 2012, but has failed to hold down a first-team place, going out on loan on three occasions.

However, he has earned Conte’s trust in the Italian’s first few months in London and is playing regular football, albeit as a wing-back.

“I’m delighted to be back,” Moses told ESPN FC. “I thought I did well in my first season here, but due to circumstances – a manager [Rafa Benitez] going, a manager [Mourinho] coming in – I wasn’t really given a chance.

“[Mourinho] never spoke to me. I thought in my head, ‘He’s got his own players already.’

“I think we chatted a couple of times on the phone – he asked if I was alright at Liverpool [where Moses was on loan], but that was it.

“The manager who is here now [Conte] is giving everyone a chance – even the young lads. I’m pleased that he’s here and I’ve just got to go out there and enjoy my football.

“As long as you work hard, the manager will see it and he’ll give you an opportunity.”

Moses and Chelsea will face Mourinho in the Premier League for the first time on Sunday, when they welcome his Manchester United side to Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho relaxed about Chelsea return

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has claimed he is undeterred by the prospect of returning to former club Chelsea in the Premier League this Sunday afternoon.

The 53-year-old is the most successful boss in Blues history following his two spells in charge at Stamford Bridge after winning three championship crowns, three League Cups and the FA Cup.

Mourinho’s second stint with Chelsea ended with his departure midway through the 2015/16 season following a disappointing start to the title defence, which led to him later being recruited by United in June and he will return for the first time as Reds boss this coming weekend.

Speaking at a press conference that was held after the Europa League win over Fenerbahce on Thursday night, Mourinho was asked to assess Chelsea’s form under new manager Antonio Conte and provide an assessment of what it will be like for him to return to his old employers.

“I don’t have to analyse their start to the season but, when you look at the table and you see where they are, in the middle positions, it cannot be bad,” the boss said. “I knew that working in England, staying in the Premier League, I would, sooner or later, have to play against Chelsea and I would have to go to Stamford Bridge. The computer has decided that I have to go now, so we go.”

Following his first departure from Chelsea in 2007, Mourinho returned to west London with new club Inter Milan and told the media he is “always lucky at the Bridge”. When asked how important that might be this time around, the United boss explained why his comment is no longer valid. 

“When I played there with Inter, before that, I had never lost a match at Stamford Bridge because I had that [unbeaten] home record,” he said. “Now, I lost already a few matches at the Bridge. Last season, I lost two or three matches so I cannot use the same words. Now, I lost there.”

Moses’ Hard Work Is Paying Off – Mikel

John Obi Mikel says Victor Moses’ hard work is beginning to pay off following his goal in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Leicester City.
The winger sealed the Blues’  victory in the 80th minute after a great flick from substitute Nathaniel Chalobah, giving Antonio Conte a welcome result in a week that has seen him fend off assumption over his future.
The goal is only Moses’ second in English topflight this season  but his teammate is confident he is beginning to find his feet in the Roman Army having been loaned to Liverpool, Stoke City and Liverpool in the last three seasons.
A top performance and three big points this weekend. Great to see Victor Moses’ hard work paying off, well done bro,” Mikel tweeted.

“It was an outstanding team performance,” - Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said his team had come close to perfection after watching them mark his 20th anniversary with a 3-0 win over Chelsea on Saturday.

Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil scored in the first 40 minutes as Arsenal claimed their biggest win over Chelsea since April 1997.

It was Arsenal’s first win over Chelsea in the league since October 2011 and it saw them climb to third place in the Premier League table, while Antonio Conte’s beaten visitors slipped to eighth.

“It was an outstanding team performance,” Wenger told the BBC at the Emirates Stadium.

“We played with spirit and collective pace and movement. Always in a positive and committed team way.

“Ideally you want the perfect game and you never get it. We got nearly the perfect first half and that is not bad.

“Football doesn’t care for history and the anniversaries, just the result on the day. Today we had a good performance.”

The only negative for Wenger, who was appointed Arsenal manager in September 1996, was a first-half knee injury sustained by midfielder Francis Coquelin, which saw Granit Xhaka come on.

“We lost Coquelin and Xhaka came on and straight away he is at the level of the game,” Wenger told Sky Sports.

“It (Coquelin) is a knee problem — the same problem as last year. I hope he is not out as long as last year.”

For Chelsea manager Conte, it was a third successive league game without victory following a 2-2 draw at Swansea City and a 2-1 home defeat by Liverpool.

“I think that we didn’t have the right attitude from the first minute,” Conte said.

“After today we are thinking we must work a lot because we are a great team only on paper.

“It is always a team problem rather than individuals. When nothing works it is very hard for a player to play well.

“We have not got the balance and now is the moment to consider everything. It is incredible to concede three goals.

“We must have last season present in our mind (when Chelsea finished 10th) to not repeat the mistakes. We must reflect a lot to find very soon the right way.”

Mikel prepares for life after Chelsea

John Obi Mikel has said he is making plans for life after Chelsea as time ticks down on the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge.

Mikel, who has made more than 350 appearances in all competitions since joining Chelsea from Lyn Oslo in June 2006, told Goal he will talk to interested clubs in January if he is not offered an extension.

The Nigeria international is the club’s longest-serving player behind John Terry and has won every major club trophy at Stamford Bridge.

But he has only infrequently been a regular starter at Chelsea, regaining a level of prominence under interim manager Guus Hiddink last season before falling back down the pecking order following the arrivals of new coach Antonio Conteand N’Golo Kante.

“I have one year left (on my contract),” Mikel said. “When you have a year left as a football player, you have to start planning and start thinking about what’s going to happen at the end of the season.

“Yes, there are going to be rumours, yes, there are going to be conversations between clubs. I will talk to other clubs because you never know what is going to happen.

“I’ve been here for a long, long time. I’ve spent 11 years of my life in this football club, it is my home.

“This season is the last at the club if my contract ends. I am quite relaxed about it, the future looks good.”

One source of hope for Mikel is that Chelsea have traditionally left it later than most clubs to open contract talks with some of their more experienced players.

Last season, Branislav Ivanovic signed his one-year extension in January, while Terry put pen to paper on a new deal in May after a lengthy public stand-off.

“I am always open to a new conversation, a negotiation (with Chelsea),” Mikel added. “But if there’s none, the future still looks bright. One day you have to move on.

“I think my memories here, my achievements here, are something that no one will ever take away from me. Those memories will never go away.”

Welcome back, David Luiz!

Chelsea have re-signed their former defender David Luiz from Paris Saint-Germain on a three-year contract.

Chelsea, who had earlier seen a reported £35m offer for the 29-year-old turned down, confirmed on Wednesday evening that they had agreed terms with PSG.

He was the second defender to move to the club on deadline day, with Marcos Alonso joining from Fiorentina on a five-year contract in a deal reportedly worth around £23 million.

Luiz had first joined Chelsea from Benfica in 2011 and the Brazil international won the FA Cup, Champions League and Europa League during his initial spell at Stamford Bridge.

"I'm delighted to return to Chelsea," he told the club's official website. "We had a fantastic story during my first time at the club and I want to help the team and Antonio Conte achieve a lot of success.

"I always had a wonderful relationship with the fans and I am looking forward to wearing the blue shirt at Stamford Bridge once again."

Luiz moved to the Parc des Princes from Chelsea for £50 million in the summer of 2014 and started all four of the French champions' competitive fixtures so far this season.

However, earlier this month Le Parisien reported that new coach Unai Emery had told the player he was no longer guaranteed a starting role.

Meanwhile, Chelsea's United States defender Matt Miazga has joined Vitesse Arnhem on loan until the end of the season.

Chelsea Agree Deal to Re-sign David Luiz

Chelsea Football Club and Paris Saint-Germain have agreed terms for the transfer of David Luiz back to London.
The move is now subject to him agreeing personal terms and passing a medical.

Chelsea sign Alonso on permanent deal

Marcos Alonso has joined Chelsea from Fiorentina on a five-year contract in a deal reportedly worth around £23 million.

Fiorentina confirmed the deal on their official website on Wednesday afternoon in a statement, which read: "ACF Fiorentina announce that they have sold, on a permanent deal, the sporting rights to the footballer Marcos Alonso Mendoza to Chelsea Football Club."

Chelsea later confirmed the deal and Alonso said: "I'm very happy. It's a step up in my career and I think this is the perfect place for me to continue developing. It's time for me to win some titles.

"It was an easy decision for me to make when I heard the club were interested in signing me. My family and close friends know Chelsea is the club I have dreamed about playing for so I'm really excited about the challenge and I'm looking forward to working with my new team-mates."

Antonio Conte has prioritised the signing of a left-back and a centre-back in the final weeks of the transfer window and Alonso has experience in both positions, though he was deployed most regularly on the left of midfield by Fiorentina last season.

Alonso becomes Chelsea's fourth senior signing of the summer, joining Michy Batshuayi, N'Golo Kante and Portugal goalkeeper Eduardo at Stamford Bridge, and Conte is still chasing a centre-back before the transfer window closes on Wednesday.

Sources told ESPN FC on Tuesday that Paris Saint-Germain had rejected an offer of around £35m from Chelsea for David Luiz, but talks between the clubs are ongoing over the possibility of bringing the Brazilian back to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have also reportedly enquired about the availability of West Ham United defender Angelo Ogbonna, who worked with Conte at Juventus.

The Blues have been frustrated in their pursuit of a number of Serie A defenders this summer, and sources told ESPN FC on Tuesday that top target Kalidou Koulibaly has given up hope of moving from Napoli to Stamford Bridge in this transfer window.

Chelsea sign shotstopper Eduardo

 

33-year-old Portugal international moves to Stamford Bridge on one-year deal 

Chelsea have announced the signing of Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper Eduardo for an undisclosed fee.

The 33-year-old has agreed a one-year deal to move to Stamford Bridge, becoming Antonio Conte's third recruit as Blues head coach.

"Having the opportunity to come to the Premier League and to Chelsea, to such a big club, it is an easy decision to make," Eduardo told chelseafc.com.

The Portugal international follows N'Golo Kante and Michy Batshuayi to the club and adds to Chelsea's options in between the sticks, providing competition for Thibaut Courtois and Asmir Begovic.

Having beaten West Ham United and Watford in their opening two matches of the Premier League season, Conte's charges will be looking to extend their 100% record when Burnley visit west London on Saturday.

Costa: I'm marked by referees

Chelsea’s Diego Costa admits he didn’t know about the new Premier League rules

Diego Costa was unaware of new Premier League rules before Chelsea v West Ham.

Diego Costa booked…
One of the least surprising moments in Chelsea’s 2-1 win over West Ham was the fact that Diego Costa was booked for complaining to referee Anthony Taylor after just 19 minutes.

Costa would eventually score an 89th minute winner for Chelsea and was lucky to stay on the pitch with a pretty disgraceful challenge on West Ham keeper Adrian in the second half that did not see Taylor flash another yellow card.

“I’m finding this out now…”
But one of the more surprising aspects of the booking is that Costa did not know about the new Premier League rules, announced at the end of July.

These concern “dissent towards match officials”, which mean yellow cards will be issued to players who:

– Show visibly disrespectful behaviour to any match official

– Respond aggressively to decisions

– Confront an official face to face

– Run towards an official to contest a decision

Why did Chelsea not tell Costa about the new rules?
You would have imagined that Chelsea would have told Costa about these new rules and that they would have been drummed into him ahead of the big kick-off.

Perhaps Chelsea failed to do so as they expected the Brazilian-born Spanish striker to leave the club this summer?

Conte: I don't sleep a lot before games

Chelsea head coach admits to restless nights ahead of first PL match against West Ham

Antonio Conte has revealed he is having sleepless nights as he prepares for Chelsea’s opening Premier League match of the season.

Chelsea host West Ham United at 8pm BST in the final encounter of Matchweek 1 and Conte, who joined the club as head coach in the summer, has admitted he does not rest easy ahead of matches.

“Before the games, usually I don't sleep a lot,” Conte told chelseafc.com. “I sleep for two, three, four hours – when I wake up I start to think about the game, the situation, and often I have a good idea on a tactical aspect in the first hours of the morning."

“After the game, when I win I sleep, but when I don't win it's very difficult for me. In the middle of the night I think, 'What is the reason we lost?'

“Sometimes I watch the match very quickly because I want to find an answer. Why? Where is the situation that creates more difficulties? Which is the player that creates more difficulties? Was our tactical plan good or not good? I need to have the answer quickly.'

Conte will be hoping he answers all the questions West Ham pose on Monday night to avoid more insomnia but can take some comfort from the fact that Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League meetings with the Hammers at Stamford Bridge.