Chelsea have gone on a blitz in the transfer market, with Fabrizio Romano confirming two signings have been agreed while also naming their next target.
Chelsea have already been very busy this summer, smashing their transfer record by spending a huge £117million on Morgan Rogers, as well as signing Geovany Quenda, Marco Palestra and Emmanuel Emegha. They have sold Marc Cucurella, Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Jimmy-Jay Morgan, while Alejandro Garnacho has joined Aston Villa on loan with a conditional obligation to buy worth £43m.
Chelsea are now ramping up plans to bring in more players, both to improve Xabi Alonso’s first-team squad and also hand him exciting options for the future.
We revealed on Sunday that Chelsea had agreed personal terms with French centre-back Maxence Lacroix, and a deal is now in place with Crystal Palace.
‘Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea, here we go! Agreement in place with official bid accepted by Crystal Palace,’ Romano wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
‘Broad terms in place last night and medical ongoing in London for the CB. £52m transfer fee. Axel Disasi not included in the deal. Lacroix signs until June 2032.’
The Blues also have one eye on the future, as they have struck an agreement for USA wonderkid Benji Flowers.
Romano has also given Flowers’ move to Chelsea his ‘here we go’ confirmation. The winger is seen as ‘one of the most talented youngsters in [the] USA’ and will spend the next three years continuing his development at FC Dallas before joining Chelsea aged 18.
According to The Athletic’s MLS reporter, Tom Bogert, Flowers will join Chelsea for $3m plus $7m in possible add-ons, amounting to a $10m (£7.5m) deal.
Romano, meanwhile, has named Bosnia sensation Kerim Alajbegovic as Chelsea’s next objective.
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Chelsea in for World Cup goalscorer
Alonso’s side are battling Italian clubs Juventus, Napoli and Atalanta to sign the 18-year-old left winger, who netted a brilliant goal against Qatar at the World Cup.
Alajbegovic is ‘gonna leave Bayer Leverkusen soon’, and Chelsea are ‘considering a bid’ for him.
Romano adds that Atalanta have had a ‘bid rejected’ by Leverkusen, while Juve and Napoli are simply ‘keen’ at this stage. Alajbegovic is expected to cost £30m.
While Alajbegovic could be the next new arrival at Stamford Bridge, Romano has revealed that defender Trevoh Chalobah might be the next player to depart.
Como have sent an ‘improved bid’ for Chalobah worth €25m plus €5m in easy add-ons, making it almost a guaranteed €30m (£26m) deal.
Chalobah is ‘keen on the move’ and talks are ‘ongoing’ to get the transfer over the line.
Meanwhile, we can reveal there have been positive talks as Villa aim to sign a second Chelsea forward after Garnacho.