Football / Sports

Chelsea sign Marc Cucurella from Brighton for £63m

Chelsea have signed Marc Cucurella from Brighton and Hove Albion, it was announced on Friday.

Cucurella joins Chelsea in a deal worth an initial £56m with a possible £7m in add-ons. Chelsea’s Levi Colwill will join Brighton on a season-long loan in return for the Cucurella transfer. The loan deal does not include an option to make the transfer permanent.

In a press conference on Friday, Thomas Tuchel said: “Marc is a fantastic player, a young player. He is young, hungry, mobile and a very intelligent player who can play a lot of positions in our system.”

On signing for Chelsea, Cucurella said: “I’m really happy. It’s a big opportunity for me to join one of the best clubs in the world and I’m going to work hard to be happy here and help the team.”

Cucurella, 24, was wanted by Manchester City and Cucurella handed in a transfer request but the two clubs couldn’t strike a deal, with Brighton standing firm on a £50m valuation for the left-back. The deal stalled, as sources told ESPN that City weren’t willing to pay the asking price for the transfer, allowing Chelsea to battle for his signature

Sources told ESPN that City were only interested in signing the Spain left-back if the asking transfer fee was lowered to £35m.

Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly said: “Marc is an elite defender of proven Premier League quality and he further strengthens our squad going into the new season. We continue to work on and off the pitch, and we’re delighted Marc will be a part of the present and future at Chelsea.”

Throughout the transfer window, Tuchel has looked to bolster his defensive options with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen joining Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively. Chelsea wanted to sign Matthijs de Ligt and Jules Kounde, but the two defenders opted to move to Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

Cucurella, who won Brighton’s player of the season award last season, played 38 games during his one year stay with Graham Potter’s team.

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Football / Sports

Chelsea complete signing of England forward Raheem Sterling from Manchester City

Chelsea on Wednesday announced that they have completed the signing of England forward Raheem Sterling from Manchester City.

Sterling has signed a five-year contract with The Blues and has already linked up with the squad in Los Angeles where the team is currently on their pre-season tour.

The English forward has been a consistent performer for Manchester City over the past seven seasons, hitting double figures in goals in each of the campaigns and winning nine major honors during his time. He has also won the Premier League title four times.

Chelsea’s Chairman and co-controlling owner Todd Boehly expressed his happiness about signing Sterling and said that the forward is a serial winner and the move is an important step in strengthening the squad.

“Raheem Sterling is a serial winner and his signing is an important step in strengthening our squad. We are delighted for Raheem to return to London with Chelsea, and we look forward to seeing his world-class talent on display at Stamford Bridge,” said Boehly.

The 27-year-old also opened up on his happiness in joining Thomas Tuchel’s side and said he aims to achieve more success with the Blues. Sterling is also happy to be back in London, his hometown, and said it would be a great opportunity to play in front of friends and family.

“First and foremost, it’s a pleasure to be here. I’ve obviously achieved a lot in my career so far, but there is still so much more to achieve and I’m really looking forward to doing that in a Chelsea shirt, under Thomas’s management.”

“London is my home and where it all started for me, and it’s amazing I now have the opportunity to play in front of friends and family week in, week out at Stamford Bridge. I’m really looking forward to meeting the fans there soon.”

“I do want to take the opportunity to thank Todd, Behdad, the ownership group, Thomas, and all involved in the process of getting me here.”

“I can’t wait to get going now and continue …

Football / Sports

Romelu Lukaku loaned back to Inter Milan

Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan confirmed: Lukaku’s second spell at Chelsea came to another unceremonious end on Wednesday, when Inter Milan re-signed the Belgian striker on a season-long loan.

This time around, Lukaku scored 15 goals in 44 appearances (all competitions – 8 in 26 in the Premier League), bringing his Chelsea career total to 15 goals. In total, Chelsea have paid roughly $155 million for Lukaku. Quick math says, $10 million per goal.

10 months after Chelsea, then the newly crowned champions of Europe, paid $135 million to themselves re-acquire Romelu Lukaku as the missing piece to a Premier League title challenge, the 29-year-old heads back to Inter Milan for less than 10 percent of that number. Initially, Chelsea wanted a $10.5-million loan fee; Inter Milan were put off by the price, but an agreement has since been reached (financial details still to come).

Getting Lukaku’s wages off the books at Chelsea and removing a disgruntled star from the locker room is all the moral victory the Blues can claim on this one.

Lukaku played a massive part in Inter Milan’s 2020-21 Serie A title, scoring 24 goals in 36 league games (30 in 44 in all competitions). AC Milan reclaimed the scudetto last season for the first time since 2011, beating Inter to the top spot by just two points.…

Football / Sports

Rudiger signs four-year contract with Real Madrid

Antonio Rudiger has signed a contract with Real Madrid until 2026 after undergoing a medical with the club on Tuesday.

The German center-back, whose contract with Chelsea expires in June, completed the deal via his agents with Real Madrid, and will arrive at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on a free transfer.

However, Rudiger‘s move to Real Madrid is not yet official, with the club expected to make an announcement after the Champions League final in Paris on May 28.

It will most likely be the following week as it is intended to be made before the player starts training with the German national team for the Nations League.

Real Madrid and Rudiger had already reached an agreement, but only a few details were still to be finalized, and that happened on Tuesday.

The center-back was at one point distanced from Los Blancos due to his high salary demands, but the two parties resumed negotiations after the center-back relented on his salary demands and a deal was reached.

Carlo Ancelotti also insisted on signing Rudiger as it gives him more options in defence.

With the German and Militao as center-backs, David Alaba can also play at left-back, a position he already occupied at Bayern Munich.…

Football / Sports

Real Madrid lead Chelsea

Well… let’s just say few would’ve predicted that Wednesday afternoon of UEFA Champions League.

Karim Benzema can definitely do it on a rainy night in London, as the French center forward recorded a hat trick as Real Madrid feasted on Chelsea errors and benefited from poor Blues finishing in a 3-1 win.

Benzema bosses Blues backs, Chelsea wasteful in attack

This is not how Thomas Tuchel drew it up.

Karim Benzema scored a pair of first-half goals and completed his hat trick in the second half as Real Madrid rode a 2-1 first-half lead and will take a 3-1 advantage back to Madrid.

This wasn’t the case of supreme domination from La Liga’s leaders, as Chelsea out-attempted Real by more than double but learned what Europe’s seen on a weekly basis: Benzema’s as dominant as any forward In the world right now and that includes names like Mbappe and Kane.

Huge errors from Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, and Edouard Mendy will live in Chelsea fans’ minds deep into the night, but Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech missed huge chances off the bench on a day the European champions will want to forget as quickly as possible.

The Blues will be grateful that away goals don’t matter this season, but toppling Real by two goals at the Bernabeu will be a major ask next week.

Chelsea vs Real Madrid final score, stats

Chelsea 1, Real Madrid 3

Scorers: Benzema (21′, 24′, 46′), Havertz (40′)

Shot attempts: Chelsea 20, Real Madrid 8

Shots on goal: Chelsea 5, Real Madrid 5

Possession: Chelsea 57, Real Madrid 43…

Football / Sports

Tottenham appoint Conte as manager after sacking Nuno

Tottenham Hotspur have appointed Antonio Conte as their new manager until the summer of 2023, the Premier League club said on Tuesday, a day after sacking Nuno Espirito Santo.

Former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss Conte replaces Nuno, who was sacked after 17 matches in charge, with last weekend’s 3-0 home defeat by Manchester United in the league his final game with Spurs.

Conte had been out of work since terminating his contract at Inter in May, shortly after he led them to their first Serie A title in 11 years last season.

“I am extremely happy to return to coaching, and to do so at a Premier League club that has the ambition to be a protagonist (in the title race) again,” Conte said in a statement.

“I can’t wait to start working to convey to the team and the fans the passion, mentality and determination that have always distinguished me, as a player and as a coach.”

Tottenham had topped the Premier League standings in August under Nuno after winning their opening three games but are now ninth, 10 points behind leaders Chelsea after 10 matches.

Conte’s first game in charge will be Thursday’s Conference League match at home to Vitesse Arnhem.…

Football / Sports

EPL Updates

West Ham 1-2 Manchester United – De Gea saves late penalty!

Manchester United return to Premier League action on Sunday (14:00 BST) as they face West Ham United at the London Stadium. The Red Devils suffered a disappointing last minute defeat to Young Boys in the Champions League on Tuesday, and will be hoping to bounce back against the Hammers.

Thiago Silva, N’Golo Kante and Antonio Rudiger sink Spurs

Played out in the shadow of a legend, who illuminated not only Tottenham and Chelsea but English football in its entirety, bitter rivals were brought together on a day of grief but also in celebration of the great Jimmy Greaves, whose passing on Sunday morning shone more glory on this fixture than 90 minutes could ever dictate on the pitch below.…

Football / Sports

SAUL NIGUEZ MOVES TO CHELSEA ON LOAN

On switching to London, Saul said: ‘I am very excited to start this new challenge with Chelsea. Blues fans, I am one of you now and I can’t wait to wear the shirt, start training and see all of you. See you soon!’

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia added: ‘We welcome Saul to the Club and believe he completes our squad as we compete for honors in five different competitions this season. He is a proven winner, a player with huge experience and we know he will be very well-suited to the challenges that face us on all fronts in the coming year.’

The 26-year-old midfielder has up until now spent his entire club career in Madrid in his native Spain, having begun his youth career at Real Madrid before switching to Atletico, with one loan spell at another capital city club Rayo Vallecano.

During his time with Atleti, where he has played 447 matches and scored 53 goals, Saul has won the Europa League twice, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish and UEFA Super Cups, and as recently as last season, the league title in his homeland.

He played 33 of the 38 La Liga games in 2020/21 and scored twice as Diego Simeone’s side beat Real to the title by two points.

They were less successful in the Champions League however, with Saul starting both games of the round of 16 tie against Chelsea which the Blues won 3-0 on aggregate.

The previous time the two clubs were drawn together in the competition, in the group stage in 2017/18, Saul was also involved and indeed he opened the scoring with a header in our meeting at Stamford Bridge before an own-goal ensured the match ended in a draw.

Chelsea went on to play Barcelona in the knockout stages that season while the Spaniards dropped into the Europa League although they went on to lift that trophy. Saul scored a further three European goals in the campaign, against FC Copenhagen and home and away against Lokomotiv Moscow. Arsenal were defeated …

Football / Sports

Romelu Lukaku Returns to Chelsea

One of the most prolific strikers in European football, Lukaku has returned to the club he supported as a young boy and where he has unfinished business, having been on our books between 2011 and 2014. The Belgian has signed a five-year contract and will add attacking firepower to Thomas Tuchel’s squad of European champions.

‘I’m happy and blessed to be back at this wonderful club,’ said Lukaku. ‘It’s been a long journey for me: I came here as a kid who had a lot to learn, now I’m coming back with a lot of experience and more mature.

‘The relationship I have with this club means so much to me, as you know. I have supported Chelsea as a kid and now to be back and try to help them win more titles is an amazing feeling.

The way the club is going fits my ambitions perfectly at 28 and just coming off winning Serie A. I think this opportunity comes at the right time and hopefully we can have a lot of success together.

‘Since I left Chelsea, it’s been a long journey with a lot of ups and downs, but these experiences made me strong and the challenge is to try to help the team win some more trophies. I can’t wait to get started and to help the club achieve more success.’

Aged just 18 when he arrived at Stamford Bridge from Anderlecht in his homeland in the summer of 2011, he made 15 Chelsea appearances in three seasons, two of which were largely spent on loan, before moving on to Everton, Manchester United and Inter Milan. While at Inter, Lukaku was named the Europa League Player of the Season in 2019/20, before playing an integral part as the Italian side won Serie A last season. His 24 goals and 11 assists earned him the competition’s MVP award.

Now 28, he was named in UEFA’s team of the tournament for Euro 2020, during which he netted four times in Belgium’s run to the quarter-finals, where they …

Football / Sports

Kevin De Bruyne Wont need Surgery says Roberto Martinez

Kevin De Bruyne will not need surgery on his facial injuries but is at risk of missing Belgium’s Euro 2020 opener, according to manager Roberto Martinez.

The Manchester City midfielder suffered multiple fractures to his face during their Champions League final loss to Chelsea. De Bruyne had to be substituted off after a clash with Chelsea’s Antonio Rudiger.

De Bruyne, 29, is now a doubt for Belgium’s game against Russia on June 12.

What has Martinez said?
He said: “Kevin had a different programme to the rest of the players.

“He was only going to join us seven days later because he was playing in the Champions League final. But that programme has obviously been changed, he won’t be able to relax and rest just yet.

“We’ve got to be very cautious, and we will get more clarity in the next few days, but I’ve spoken to Kevin and he was quite positive. We are very fortunate that even though he has a double fracture, he doesn’t need surgery.

“An operation would have made it impossible for him to play in the European Championship. We don’t know if we can use him in the first game. I cannot give an answer because I don’t have any medical facts right now.

“We are still assessing the injury and over the next four to five days we expect clarity.’ Then we will know what the next steps for Kevin will be.”

How did De Bruyne get injured?
De Bruyne went down injured shortly before the hour mark of Saturday night’s game.

The Belgian was assessed by City’s physios and the club doctor. De Bruyne was seen with a noticeable black eye.

The decision was then taken for De Bruyne to be substituted off due to the injury. He was clearly not happy with the call.

Gabriel Jesus came on in his place, with a visibly devastated De Bruyne being consoled by City’s backroom staff as he left the pitch in tears.

Who will Belgium face at Euro 2020?
They kick off their …

Football / Sports

Chelsea Win the Uefa Champions League

Chelsea are celebrating being crowned Champions League winners for only the second time after a memorable victory over Manchester City in Porto on Saturday night.

The Blues were excellent in an entertaining final at the Estadio do Dragao, thoroughly deserving of a hard-fought 1-0 victory secured courtesy of a cool first-half strike from £71million record signing Kai Havertz that came after a superb, defence-splitting Mason Mount pass.

The triumph – Chelsea’s first in the Champions League since that famous 2012 night in Munich – represents an incredible turnaround from Thomas Tuchel, who has far exceeded expectations since replacing Frank Lampard in January and will surely be handed a long-term contract after a strong few months that also included a top-four Premier League finish and FA Cup Final appearance.

As for domestic champions Manchester City, their frustrating wait for a first taste of Champions League glory continues after a chastening evening in Portugal.

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