Chelsea stun Ajax, hand Dutch giants first defeat (Watch Michy Batshuayi goal here)

Chelsea earned their reward for a fine away performance, beating Ajax 1-0 through substitute Batshuayi’s close-range strike from a chance created by Pulišić, who emanated menace after coming on at Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam

The London club by this victory have drawn level with Ajax at the top of Group H.

The hosts, who suffer their first UEFA Champions League group stage defeat in ten matches and their first loss in any competition since May, will consider themselves unlucky, reflecting on Álvarez’s header that hit the post after half-time.

Watch Michy Batshuayi’s brilliant goal:

Photo Credit: Twitter @chelseafc.com

Chelsea urged to re-sign former Andreas Christensen, Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s colleague at Blues Academy

Chelsea scout Piet de Visser has urged the club to re-sign Nathan Ake from Bournemouth.

Netherlands international Ake switched from Stamford Bridge to the South Coast for £20m in 2017, having struggled to break from the academy into the Blues first team.

But now that the West London club have backed their youth stars to play under Frank Lampard, De Visser believes Ake should also be there alongside them.

Ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Ajax in the Champions League, he told Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant: “Ake should have played for Chelsea by now. He’s so good.

“How often does he not score with his head? He has timing and insight. I hope they buy him back. That boy is perfect for them and he has played with Lampard.”

Ake was a star of the same Chelsea youth side as Andreas Christensen and Ruben Loftus-Cheek that won the U21 development league in 2014, report Sky Sports.

Now a fully-fledged Netherlands international, he joined Chelsea as a 16-year-old from Feyenoord having been considered one of his country’s brightest prospects.

Roman Abramovich rejects another offer from mega-rich Middle East consortium to buy chelsea

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has reportedly resisted an opportunity to sell the club and insists the club is not for sale.

A mega-rich Middle East consortium proposed a potential takeover offer but it was shrugged off by the Russian, according to the Telegraph.

There have been rumours that the billionaire businessman was looking to sell since the UK tightened its regulations on visas for wealthy foreign nationals.

He has since barely been seen at Chelsea matches, sparking speculation that he is losing his interest in the club he purchased in 2003.

Abramovich also put plans to develop Stamford Bridge on hold amid spiralling costs of £1billion, but it appears he has no plans to leave his 16-year project any time soon.

It is claimed that Abramovich has been approached by a number of potential buyers including Sir Jim Ratcliffe – once Britain’s richest man.

Ratcliffe already owns Swiss club FC Lausanne-Sport but sources close to Abramovich insist it is “not for sale.”

But the report also claims that the Russian would consider entertaining offers if he receives a bid in the region of £3bn.

Jose Mourinho on verge of joining Bundesliga giants, starts learning German

Reports Germany claim Jose Mourinho is ‘in talks with Borussia Dortmund as former Manchester United boss starts learning German’ in anticipation of a move to the Westfalenstadion.

He previously admitted that a job in the Bundesliga is not out the question.

He told la Gazzetta dello Sport in the summer: “Right now, I’m studying German. I am studying German because I miss this language. I speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian…

“Of course, I do not exclude anything, not even Germany.”

Mourinho has been out of the dugout since December last year when he was axed by Manchester United after overseeing a dismal start to the campaign at Old Trafford.

The former Chelsea boss is currently working as a pundit with Sky Sports but is keen to return to management and Dortmund are on his radar, according to German outlet Bild.

Current Dortmund boss Lucian Favre is not understood to be in any immediate jeopardy – but the German giants have made an inconsistent start to the campaign and chiefs are looking at the long-term picture, report the Daily Mirror.

The chance to challenge Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga dominance is something which could appeal to Mourinho, but he would be forced to take a significant drop in wages from the £24million-a-year he pocketed at United.

Dortmund currently sit top of their Champions League group, which contains both Barcelona and Inter Milan, ahead of their trip to the San Siro this evening.

They are fourth in the Bundesliga after eight games having won half of those and drawn a further three, suffering a solitary defeat.

Fikayo Tomori makes promise to Frank Lampard ahead of Ajax clash

Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori is eager to repay the faith shown to him by the Blues boss Frank Lampard when they face Ajax in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old defender spent last season under Lampard on loan at Derby and will make his third Champions League appearance on only his ninth senior start for Chelsea, having been called up by England for the first time earlier this month.

“Coming into the season, I just wanted to stamp my place in the team and the manager gave me an opportunity,” said Tomori.

“He’s carried on giving me opportunities. Even if I make mistakes or I’m not quite in the right position, he helps me out and he’s developed me a lot. He talks to me in training, so do the other players, and that helps me.

“This season has been good for me so far. It’s gone better than I probably expected it would go but I’m working hard day in, day out, trying to improve and help the team as much as I can.

“Getting the senior international call-up last month was great and now I just want to keep on going.”

Lampard’s side have won their last five matches in all competitions, including a 2-1 win away to Lille at the start of the month.

But they face a side who, barring a couple of high-profile summer departures, swept into the Champions League semi-finals last season and began this year’s campaign with back-to-back 3-0 victories, report SkySports.

“It will be a very tight one,” added Tomori. “Both teams are in good form and it’s a big game in the group.

“Ajax is a great club with big history, a great stadium, so we’re expecting a tough game.

“Games like these are where we can learn a lot but every game as a team we’re learning and every game throws up different challenges.

“So far, we’ve handled them well so hopefully we can do the same.”

Premier League star responds to Chelsea, Liverpool transfer interest

Bournemouth star Lewis Cook has expressed his desire to remain at Dean Court despite reported transfer interest from Liverpool and Chelsea.

Liverpool and Chelsea are both reportedly keen to sign the centre midfielder.

Cook was on standby for Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad in Russia

The Daily Express report that the 22-year-old has just broken into the first team again after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture last December.

And he has impressed during his time in the first-team, so much so that he has apparently caught the eye of some of the league’s top clubs.

Last week, it was reported by the Daily Mail that Liverpool and Chelsea were considering a move for the midfielder.

But despite the interest from teams above Bournemouth in the league, Cook insists he is solely focused on the Cherries.

“I have just started playing football here,” he told the Bournemouth Echo.

“I had been out for a long time, so I am just focusing on Bournemouth at the moment.

“I am loving being back and playing football.

“I just forget about it (the speculation) really.

“You’ve just got to focus on your football here and keep enjoying it. I am obviously enjoying playing football again – that’s all I am focusing on right now.

“Yeah, definitely. [fully committed to Bournemouth] I am enjoying my football here, it’s a great place to be and play great football.”

Since returning from his injury, Cook has started two games and come off the bench twice.

The midfielder was a key part of Eddie Howe’s team last season before suffering the cruciate ligament injury.

Photo Credit: afcb.co.uk

Chelsea set to hand three fans lifetime bans

Three Chelsea fans are facing lifetime bans for racially abusing a fellow supporter – with the club apologising for not acting sooner.

Jerome Bailey, 20, was sickeningly abused by fellow Blues supporters during a clash with Slavia Prague in April.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Bailey revealed: “It’s the result I wanted all along but it’s unfortunate and disappointing that it’s taken so long to get to this point.

“Maybe Chelsea need to look at how efficient their procedures are in this area.

“It’s good that zero tolerance is not an empty promise in this case. I just wanted to know that the team I follow cared a little.

“I didn’t feel like I should have been the one to approach the club – they should have been telling me what was happening.

“Chelsea had everything at their disposal [for the investigation]. It should have been simple to approach these guys and then move forward. I just wanted to get some closure and now it feels like I have.”