Fresh reports circulating online reveals just how desperate Chelsea were to make a statement signing as a replacement for Thibaut Courtois. The Belgian stopper went AWOL and forced his move to Real Madrid, and left the Blues stranded with no number one. After it became clear that Courtois really wanted out, Chelsea accepted Real Madrid’s £35 million then made a record £100 million bid for Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak. Having met the Slovenian’s release clause, the Blues were expecting the goalie to accept their offer, but Oblak turned them down, which prompted them to pay the £71 million release clause of Kepa Arrizabalaga. Kepa’s move smashed the record transfer fee for a goalkeeper which Liverpool had broken a few weeks earlier when they paid £67 million for Alisson. Kepa who is 23 is expected to remain at Stamford Bridge until he is 30 having reportedly signed a 7 years deal with the Blues.

Chelsea have begun to clear the dead woods in their squad after the close of the English Premier League transfer window. With a new manager at the helm, several players were bound to be surplus to requirements, and that is just the case for Tiémoué Bakayoko. The former AS Monaco man arrived at Chelsea last summer to much fanfare after leading AS Monaco to the French league crown, however, he failed to kick on and eventually lost his place in the Blues starting line up. Maurizio Sarri showed just how less faith he had in him when he signed Matteo Kovacic on loan from Real Madrid last week. The Blues are now trying to ship Bakayoko out, with AC Milan his most likely destination. Reports claim that he has had his medicals at the Italian capital today and set to complete his move before the week runs out. The agreement is an initial loan deal with Milan having the option of signing him permanently for £35 million next summer.

Tottenham remains the only top six team who is yet to make a single signing this summer, but that could be set to change as they step up their pursuit of Jack Grealish. The Aston Villa man is set to step up from the Championship side by moving to a top-flight club playing in the Champions League, and Tottenham looks to be his preferred choice. The Lilywhites have been favourites to sign Grealish all summer, however, a lack of funding due to their new stadium construction has forced Mauricio Pochettino to watch their rivals strengthen their team while he hopes for the best. Reports from Sun Sport now claims that Spurs have finally made a bid of £25 million for the signature of the England Under 21 star. Villa were in dire straits a couple of weeks ago, but new funding means they do not need to sell before they can buy, and they are likely to ask for up to £30 million before they can part with Grealish. Pochettino is hoping to complete the move before the transfer window shuts in two days.

Manchester United have been met with yet more frustrations in their bid to sign a new centre-back before the transfer window closes in two days after Jerome Boateng told Jose Mourinho that he is no longer interested in playing for him. The Red Devils have in talks with Bayern Munich over the transfer of Boateng and they had reportedly tabled a bid in the region of £22 million for the signature of the Germany international. However, the player who had told them he wanted £12. 5 million per season to return to England, is reported to have personally called Jose Mourinho and informed him that he doesn’t want an Old Trafford move any longer. This means the Red Devils would now have to turn their attention to other targets ahead of the new season. They have targeted Harry Maguire and Yerry Mina this summer also, but they seem to have been priced out of a move for the two World Cup stars.

Paul Pogba has asked Manchester United to give him a new contract and revise his current wage upwards by £200k per week after he won the World Cup with France. Pogba has been usurped by Alexis Sanchez as the highest earner in Manchester United, but after he led the France team to victory in Russia, he wants to take his current wage closer to the former Arsenal man. Pogba’s initial plan was to force through a move to Barcelona, and his agent Mino Raiola had arrived England to try and engineer a move away from Old Trafford, however, the club told him that they had no intention of selling the former Juventus star. Raiola then informed the FA Cup finalists that they would have to make him a new contract offer then that should see his current wage go up by £200k per week. Pogba is targetting a £350k per week total, and he currently gets £180k per week in net wages.

Chelsea are set to beat Tottenham to the signing of Jack Grealish as the Lilywhites continue to struggle to make new signings. Grealish has been advised by John Terry to quit Aston Villa and make the step up to the Premier League by John Terry, and he has reportedly told the Villans that he wants out. The 22 years old would have stayed if Villa had won promotion back to the Premier League last season, but they failed at the Playoff finals. He has been courted by the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United also, but Spurs were always the clear favourites to land him for £20 million before now. However, it appears that Mauricio Pochettino does not have cash to spend yet as Spurs complete the building of their new stadium, and Chelsea are looking to sign him, before Spurs are ready. Maurizio Sarri has reportedly told the Blues to sign him for a reported £20 million fee.

Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho is fed up with Anthony Martial’s behaviour and the Portuguese boss is ready to offload the French man to Real Madrid this summer. Martial’s relationship with his gaffer has reportedly broken down completely after he left the team’s camp for the birth of his baby without permission. He has asked to be sold, but the club had told him he is going nowhere and should be ready to honour the final two years of his current deal. But the former Monaco man has irritated his manager so much and reports claim that Mourinho has told Real Madrid that they can land him for £89 million. Real Madrid are looking for a new star attacker after they sold Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus for £100 million. Eden Hazard is Florentino Perez’s first choice to replace Ronaldo, but Chelsea want £200 million for the Belgian. Martial could be a useful alternative as the French man has obvious potentials and he is just 22 years old.

Chelsea are set to make a fresh attempt to land Crystal Palace winger, Wilfried Zaha after they failed in their initial effort to sign him. The Blues reportedly offered £30 million plus Danny Drinkwater for the Ivorian winger, but Palace turned the offer down as they look to sell him for at least double that price. Zaha is being targetted by Chelsea because of the uncertainty surrounding the future of Willian and Eden Hazard who are both wanted by Real Madrid. Willian just reported late to camp this week after having some issues with his passport, but the Blues think foul play is involved and they want to prepare just in case he decides to ask them for a move. Zaha has told Palace that he wants to leave after they offered him a new contract with improved terms. The former Manchester United winger believes now is the right time for him to test himself at a big club again. Tottenham are also interested in his signature, but Mauricio Pochettino appears to have no funds for new players and that could see Chelsea have a free way to land him.

Chelsea are set to make a move for yet another Arsenal player in the space of 7 months. The Blues signed Olivier Giroud from the Emirates Stadium in January, and the French man helped them with some goals as Alvaro Morata was misfiring. They seem to have been impressed enough by Giroud’s performances and they want to land yet another Arsenal player this summer. According to Sun Sport, the Blues are plotting a £30 million move for Aaron Ramsey. The Welsh midfielder has just one year left on his current contract, but his representatives and the club seem to be far off in terms of reaching an agreement over a new deal. Chelsea believe they can tempt the midfielder to move across town with more money and the promise of first-team football. Unai Emery is confident that Ramsey would extend his current deal, however, the club wants to avoid the situation they faced with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez last summer and they would sell him this summer if he refuses to commit to a new contract.

Chelsea flop, Tiemoue Bakayoko is a transfer target for AC Milan this summer. The French man joined Chelsea from AS Monaco last summer but had a very underwhelming first season at Stamford Bridge that saw him lose his spot in the French national team for the World Cup. He has returned for preseason training, but it seems he hasn’t gotten better as his mistake allowed AC Milan to equalize in their International Champions Cup match. With Maurizio Sarri coming to Stamford Bridge with Jorginho, Milan want to sign Bakayoko as they believe they can bring the best out of him. Sun Sport claims Genaro Gattuso’s side see Bakayoko as one of two midfielders who could help sure up their midfield, the other is Salzburg’s Diadie Samassekou. Bakayoko’s experience in a big European league may see him edge the Malian and join the Italian giants should the Blues agree to sell.