Chelsea will play Real Betis in the Europa Conference League final after beating Djurgardens 5-1 in aggregate in the semis.
The Blues had built a commanding 4-1 lead after the first leg in Sweden, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first-half goal earned the hosts a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.
If they are victorious in Bilbao later this month, the West London outfit will become the first team in Europe to win all three major European trophies, having lifted each of the Champions League and Europa League twice in the past 15 years.
Away from the action, it has emerged that Chelsea have begun talks over an audacious move for one of Europe’s most coveted attackers.
According to CaughtOffside, the Blues have initiated informal talks over a potential move for AC Milan forward Rafael Leao.
Leao has attracted interest from Chelsea and Arsenal (Photo by ZUMA Press/Alamy)
The Portugal international joined Milan from French side Lille in 2019, and has since scored 70 goals in 258 games for the Italian giants across all competitions, as well as registering 80 assists.
Leao, 25, has a release clause of almost £150 million in his current contract, which is set to run until 2028, but the report claims that Milan could allow him to leave the San Siro for a fee in the region of £65 million.
Chelsea’s London rivals Arsenal are also said to have shown interest in the forward, who primarily plays on the left flank.
The report claims that Chelsea are currently showing the most interested in the player, however the Gunners have identified him as a possible alternative to number one target Nico Williams ahead of this summer’s transfer window.
Leao is also said to be a target for Saudi Pro league side Al-Nassr, however the player himself is intent on remaining in Europe and is therefore unlikely to move to the Middle East any time soon.