Chelsea transfer news LIVE: Morata (right) has come in to replace Costa
CHELSEA TRANSFER NEWS: LATEST ON DIEGO COSTA AND ANTONIO CONTE’S SEARCH FOR PLAYERS
Saturday August 5
Barkley price-tag drops
23:50: Ross Barkley is hopeful Everton will start receiving bids after his price-tag was dropped to £35m.
Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal are all in the hunt for the wantaway Everton playmaker.
Everton have been asking for £50m, and their high valuation has so far deterred Premier League rivals from making a move.
But according to the Mirror, Everton have now backed down slightly over the 23-year-old’s fee.
It is said Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal are all showing interest, with the Blues in need of midfielders and homegrown players for their quota.
And Barkley now hopes Everton’s willingness to drop their valuation will see the first bid made.
Allegri - Sandro to Chelsea off
22:45: Juventus boss Max Allegri insists Chelsea do not have a hope of signing Alex Sandro this summer.
Sandro featured for Juventus in their friendly against Tottenham at Wembley this afternoon.
And after the match, Allegri insisted the attacking defender’s future lies with Juve.
"Alex Sandro is a Juventus player and he will stay one," Allegri said.
And when asked about the possibility of Sandro joining Chelsea this summer, he added: "No chance."
Sandro offer prepared
20:00: Chelsea are set to launch a €60million (£54m) bid for Juventus star Alex Sandro.
Italian publication CalcioMercato claim Chelsea are set to offer a staggering £54m to make him the most expensive defender in the world.
The report claims Chelsea are confident of completing a deal for Sandro before the transfer window shuts at the end of this month.
Chelsea eye Roberto
16:45: Chelsea and Manchester United are both willing to meet Sergi Roberto's £36million release clause.
The Barcelona midfielder has been linked with a move away from the Nou Camp following the arrival of Ernesto Valverde.
And Spanish publication Don Balon claim United, Chelsea and Monaco are all prepared to pay his buy-out clause in order to prise him away from his homeland.
Sergi Roberto shows his magnificent touch and vision
Van Dijk boost
13:09: Southampton would prefer to sell wantaway star Virgil van Dijk to Chelsea rather than Liverpool.
The Dutch defender was expected to join Liverpool earlier in the window but the Reds were forced to publicly end their interest after Southampton accused them of illegally tapping him up.
But The Times claim Southampton’s animosity towards Liverpool started long before they threatened to report them to the Premier League in June after the Reds contacted him back in April.
And now Southampton are unwilling to do business with Liverpool and would prefer to sell him to Chelsea, who are said to be preparing a bid.
Conte wants Van Dijk and Drinkwater
12:05: Chelsea are keen to sign both Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk and Leicester midfielder Danny Drinkwater, according to Sky Sports reporter Jim White.
The Blues have already spent in excess of £130million on new recruits this summer, with Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Antonio Rudiger and Willy Caballero all arriving at Stamford Bridge.
But Antonio Conte appears to be eyeing more signings as he prepares for his side’s return to Champions League football.
White posted on Twitter: “Top source reveals @ChelseaFC boss Antonio Conte wants Virgil van Dijk and is big admirer of Danny Drinkwater.”
Mendes wants Costa move
09:11: Jorge Mendes wants Diego Costa to forget about Atletico Madrid and agree a move to AC Milan.
Costa wants a return to Atletico but the La Liga club would not be able to play hm until January due to their transfer embargo.
And his agent Mendes has told the player to consider Milan’s offer.
Mendes has remained his client that he needs a season of football under his belt in order to be ready for the World Cup next summer.
Costa won’t get a game at Chelsea again and risks rotting in the reserves for six months.
Antonio Conte on signigns
08:00: Antonio Conte is seeking “the right alternative” to Victor Moses in the right-wing back position.
Moses played the adapted role last season when Conte switched to three at the back in his first campaign as Chelsea manager.
The Blues have been linked with PSG’s Serge Aurier as possible competition for Moses.
He is banned for the opening day of the season at Burnley next weekend and Conte concedes he may dip into the market.
“For now we haven’t an alternative to Moses. We are trying to find the right alternative.
“It is very important to improve our squad.
“On the numerical aspect we have a small squad. Only one player is not enough. We need more players to improve our squad. Now we are only a few players.”
Conte hits back at Spurs
07:30: Antonio Conte has come to Alvaro Morata’s defence following criticism of the player from Mauricio Pochettino.
Tottenham boss Pochettino claimed Morata shied away from a move to his side because he’d had to play second fiddle to Harry Kane.
But Conte insists Morata is the exceptional striker he needed to sign this summer.
“Morata is a really good player and he can compete with every striker in the world,” Conte said.
“He is a young player and my task is also to help him improve, to exploit his quality because I know he has great quality.
“My task is this – to improve his quality to become one of the best strikers in the world.
“Is he on the same level as Kane? I can’t reply to this question because Kane played in the English league and Morata played in the Spanish and Italian leagues.
“After this season, I can reply to you in the right way.”
GETTY
Alvaro Morata cost Chelsea £70m
Costa to Liverpool
07:00: Former Liverpool star Phil Thompson has called on the Reds to consider a move for wantaway Chelsea striker Diego Costa.
“Dare I say it: Diego Costa signs for Atletico Madrid and then gets loaned out to Liverpool?” Thompson told The Irish Examiner.
“It would be quite a dream, wouldn’t it? I’d take him for six months.
“Going back three or four years when Liverpool were in for Costa, I think we offered 20 million. It was 25 million and the deal never got done. I was amazed. If we’d have had Suarez and Diego Costa, God, they’d have frightened everybody.
“You love these players. Every other supporter moans at them but you know as a Chelsea fan how much Costa will fight for you, do the battling for you. Good skills too. Good technique.
“Is Morata going to be (as effective) when you get into battles in the Premier League? It didn’t matter whether you were playing against Hull City or Manchester United, you knew what you’d get off Costa.”
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