Chelsea transfer news: Blues favourites for striker, £11m short with defender bid, Willian staying

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Alvaro Morata Spain

Chelsea are expected to be one of the busiest Premier League clubs in the transfer market this summer as they look to rebuild under new manager Antonio Conte.

Here, CaughtOffside rounds up five of today’s biggest Blues-related rumours.

SEE MORE: (Video) Chelsea fans left disappointed as La Liga superstar clears up FM talk

1. We start with some really promising news for Chelsea fans, with The Sun reporting that Willian is in talks over a new contract at Stamford Bridge. Former manager Jose Mourinho was apparently willing to spend £60m to bring the Brazilian to Manchester United, but it seems as though he is staying put.

Jose Mourinho & Willian

2. The tabloids reckon that Serie A expert Conte is in for two of Napoli’s star players. Kalidou Koulibaly has been the centre-back most heavily linked, but The Mirror understands that Chelsea’s opening bid of £19.2m was £11m short of Napoli’s valuation of the 25-year-old Senegalese powerhouse.

Kalidou Koulibaly

3. And The Sun claims that there is a growing interest in Koulibaly’s Napoli teammate Marek Hamsik. The 28-year-old, who is also said to be on the radar of Manchester United, has long been tipped for a big move and his impressive performances for Slovakia at Euro 2016 could finally earn him that.

Marek Hamsik

4. Speculation over Diego Costa’s future just won’t go away. Reports in Spanish publication AS say that the 27-year-old is desperate to rejoin Atletico Madrid this summer. He joined Chelsea from the La Liga side in 2014 and now wants to return after a difficult second season in England, on and off the pitch.

Diego Costa Atletico Madrid

5. Regardless of Costa’s future, a striker will be top on Conte’s wish-list, and The Mirror reckons that Chelsea are favourites for Alvaro Morata, ahead of Arsenal, who have allegedly been put off by the £60m asking price that Real Madrid will demand when they trigger his buy-back clause with Juventus.

Alvaro Morata

SEE ALSO:
Antonio Conte plotting £57m raid for Italy pair as part of Chelsea revolution
Chelsea transfer gossip: Four players linked with exit as Conte clear-out takes shape
Chelsea interested in award-winning French goalkeeper with over 500 games played

More Stories Alvaro Morata Antonio Conte Diego Costa Kalidou Koulibaly Marek Hamsik Willian