Transfers

Chelsea plan immediate Romeo Lavia debut as £50m transfer breakthrough nears

Chelsea are closing in on a £50million deal for Romeo Lavia, after the Southampton midfielder rejected Liverpool in favour of a move to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues’ move for the 19-year-old will take their spending on midfielders to £165m in the space of a few days, after they completed a British record £115m transfer of Moises Caicedo last night.

Lavia has followed Caicedo in turning down Liverpool for Chelsea, in another boost for Mauricio Pochettino and another setback for Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool have been pursuing Lavia all summer, but Chelsea have swooped to snatch him from under their noses.

Chelsea hope to complete a deal in time for Lavia to be in the squad to face West Ham on Sunday alongside Caicedo, who has signed an eight-year contract with an option of a further year.

Chelsea co-director of recruitment and talent Joe Shields is thought to have played a key role in helping Lavia choose them over Liverpool. Shields was instrumental when Southampton signed Lavia from Manchester City last summer, before the director was poached by Chelsea in October.

Signing Lavia would take Chelsea’s spending under owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake to beyond £900m and they are also interested in Crystal Palace’s 21-year-old winger Michael Olise.

Chelsea are preparing for a player exodus in the final weeks of the transfer window in a bid to balance the books.

The Blues will step up plans to sell Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah, Ian Maatsen, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Hakim Ziyech. Carney Chukwuemeka or new £26m signing Lesley Ugochukwu could be loaned out.

Despite Chelsea being willing to lose Gallagher, the 23-year-old midfielder is keen to stay and fight for his place.

Transfers

Kelechi Iheanacho open to return to Sevilla after Middlesbrough loan move

'Not Good Enough' - Sevilla To Offload Kelechi Iheanacho In January Transfer Category

Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho has not ruled out the possibility of returning to Spanish club Sevilla.

Iheanacho recently moved to Sky Bet Championship club Middlesbrough on loan, marking a return to England six months after leaving Leicester City for Sevilla.

The 28-year-old forward expressed his fondness for his time at Sevilla, stating, “Obviously, it’s good to leave (England). To feel like I’m in a different environment. It’s a good atmosphere there. It’s a great club. I’ve loved my experience there.”

He continued, “Sevilla is a great team. I’ll always be happy to go back there. I’m here now. I’m focused on what I can achieve here.”

Iheanacho signed a two-season deal with Sevilla, with an option for a third season, after joining the club on a free transfer following his time at Leicester City.

Transfers

Chelsea sign Mathis Amougou from St Etienne for €15 Million

Chelsea have completed the signing of 19-year-old midfielder Mathis Amougou from French Ligue 1 side St Etienne for a fee of €15 million.

Amougou, who is regarded as a highly promising talent, has signed an eight-year contract with the Blues. However, the midfielder is expected to be sent on loan to Strasbourg for the upcoming season, with plans for a return to Chelsea in 2026.

The transfer was confirmed by football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on his official X handle, stating:
“Officially confirmed. Mathis Amougou joins Chelsea as a talented 19-year-old midfielder from St Etienne, costing a €15m package. Contract valid for the next 8 years. Amougou will be part of the Chelsea team, then set to go on loan to Strasbourg next season and back in 2026.”

Chelsea fans will be eager to see how Amougou develops during his time at Strasbourg before making his return to Stamford Bridge in the future.

Transfers

Mikel criticizes Chelsea’s January transfer decisions

Former Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel has voiced his concerns over Chelsea’s failure to strengthen two critical areas during the January transfer window.

Despite a strong start under new manager Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s form has dipped, winning only three of their last nine matches across all competitions.

The Blues now sit fourth in the Premier League, 13 points behind leaders Liverpool.

Fans and analysts identified the need for reinforcements in two key positions—goalkeeper and striker. Robert Sánchez has been error-prone, topping the list for mistakes leading to goals this season. Meanwhile, Nicolas Jackson has endured a goal drought, failing to score in his last eight games.

Speaking on his podcast, Mikel highlighted the missed opportunity: “For me, that’s something we’re crying out for. We need another top striker. The window is shut, unfortunately, and now we can’t bring anyone in.”

He added: “We didn’t bring in a striker, we didn’t bring in a goalkeeper. That’s another window shut without us making the signings we think are going to help us finish in the top four.”

With the transfer window closed, Chelsea must rely on their existing squad to regain form and push for a top-four finish. The spotlight remains on Maresca to navigate these challenges as the season progresses.