4. Chelsea close to making its first summer signing
Even though the first signing of this transfer window has already been completed in the form of Southampton under-18 goalkeeper Eddie Beach, Chelsea is now closing in on its first major senior team signing, Raheem Sterling. The Blues are now expected to make a formal bid for Sterling ‘imminently’ after Manchester City rejected their initial bid a few days ago.
Chelsea seems willing to listen to offers for attacking players such as Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech. Furthermore, with Lukaku on the verge of moving to Inter Milan, the Blues are on the lookout for attacking reinforcements. Man City values its winger at around £60 million, but Chelsea expects to pay a figure similar to what Arsenal paid for Gabriel Jesus, that is, £45 million. Expect a figure around the £50 million mark for Man City to be convinced to sell. Sterling is 27 years old and he could give the club a good four or five years of service at his prime. Tuchel is a big fan of him, therefore, it would be a great deal for all parties involved.
A couple of more attacking players on the shortlist for Chelsea are the likes of Raphinha and Richarlison. For Raphinha, the deal is pretty much straightforward. Leeds United is asking for £65 million and with Arsenal pushing for the signing of the Brazilian, it feels like a deal that would be difficult to complete just because the club has other attackers as its priority. When it comes to Everton’s Richarlison, the situation is a bit promising for Chelsea fans. Last week, the Toffees rejected a £50 million bid from Tottenham Hotspur. Everton is demanding a figure of around £65 million, and Chelsea is considering rivaling its London rivals as Tuchel is keen to use the Brazilian as a No. 9, replacing Lukaku. To drive the price down, the Blues are willing to include players in the deal with names like Tino Anjorin, Broja, Billy Gilmour and Ziyech being thrown into the mix. There is also always a possibility that Chelsea could be priced out of a deal, but with the football financial year ending on the 30th of June, expect to have a definitive answer regarding the long-term future of Richarlison relatively soon.