Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal rejected the opportunity to join Chelsea multiple times when Antonio Conte was Blues boss.
According to Dario AS, the Italian boss contacted Vidal, who was then playing for Bayern Munich, multiple times in order to facilitate a transfer to Stamford Bridge, but the club’s lack of Champions League football foiled his plan.
The Chilean midfielder has started just 13 matches across all competitions for the Blaugrana despite scoring in six different matches in La Liga to date, and it had been rumoured that he wants more first-team football.
However, he poured cold water on those claims by recently stating on Instagram Live, as cited by Diario Sport: “I am very happy and comfortable in Barcelona, of course I want to continue here. Now I am more prepared than ever. I am happy, there is a good group and I have great friends in the locker room.”
Football Espana report that the Chilean looked set for Inter in the summer of 2018 until the Blaugrana swooped in late to sign him from Bayern Munich, while he previously thrived under Conte at Juventus – leading to links to both Italian clubs this year.
The arrival of Dutch international Frenkie De Jong at the Camp Nou last summer pushed Vidal further down the pecking order and Inter boss Conte is waiting to make an offer should he look to move on from Catalonia.
Reports in England claim David Luiz’s brief spell at Arsenal could be coming to an end with the Brazilian out of contract next month and no negotiations over a new deal planned.
Mikel Arteta has repeatedly sung David Luiz’s praises since replacing Unai Emery in December and is understood to be desperate to keep him.
It was widely reported the Brazilian arrived in north London on a two-year deal, but according to Sky Sports, that agreement was only reached on an initial 12-month stay.
However, despite Luiz’s desire to stay at the Emirates, the player and the club are yet to discuss extending his stay – and the 33-year old could become a free agent on June 30th.
Luiz has continued to sing his manager’s praises even through lockdown, calling his time under Arteta “a dream come true,” and it’s understood he remains keen to extend his stay for at least one more campaign.
The club’s technical director, Edu is also desperate for his countryman to continue his time at the club, but for now at least, a deal looks some way off.
Luiz has told friends he wants to remain in England where he has won the league title, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup and EFL Cup.
Bacary Sagna has revealed why Arsenal feared playing Chelsea because “in our heads they were bigger than us.”
Sagna, who departed Arsenal for Manchester City in search of more silverware, claimed that the Gunners’ failings when competing against big teams was partly how they dealt with the pressure.
He told the club’s In Lockdown podcast: “I believe we under-evaluated ourselves. Playing for Chelsea image-wise was something different
“They used their image a lot, they used to have some big players in the national team and we used to talk about them more than they talked about us.
“Maybe in our heads, they were bigger players than us.
“On the pitch, we had as much quality as they had whenever we played, and when we played the Arsenal way nobody could beat us.
“I believed nobody could beat us. We used to play simple passes, one, two-touches maximum. But I believe we under-evaluated ourselves which is a big mistake in life.”
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits he wants to extend Odion Ighalo’s loan deal with the striker set to leave at the end of the week.
Manchester United are yet to make an offer to Shanghai Shenhua for Odion Ighalo, but Solskjaer is hopeful the club can extend his loan spell so he can “finish off what he started”.
But United remain in talks to extend his stay at Old Trafford.
Shenhua will only agree to a permanent deal or an extension to his loan that incorporates an obligation to buy. Ighalo would be likely to cost upwards of £20m.
The Red Devils boss told MUTV: “The loan deal went until the end of May now, so obviously he’s supposed to be going back.
“We’re in dialogue. They’ve been great towards us, his club, and allowed him to play for his dream club.
“It’s been a dream for him and hopefully he can finish off what he started, hopefully with a trophy for us.
“At the moment, nothing has been agreed. Their league is going to get started soon so we’re just waiting to see.”
Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley wants to fight for his place at the club rather than seal a transfer to Newcastle United this summer, according to Football Insider.
The 26-year-old faces an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge after struggling with injuries, form and off-the-field incidents.
Barkley has fallen down the pecking order under Frank Lampard, with Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic both ahead of the England international.
The Telegraph suggested that the playmaker could be set for a summer exit to Tyneside, but Barkley is apparently content to stay Chelsea for the time being.
The newspaper reported that Rafael Benitez is ready to return to Newcastle and wants to sign Chelsea midfielder Barkley.
Benitez, who had a spell as interim boss at Chelsea, has been touted for a return to Tyneside following a takeover of Newcastle by a Saudi Arabian-backed group.
Keeper Willy Caballero says N’Golo Kante has the backing of all his Chelsea team-mates over missing training through his Covid-19 fears.
The Blues have told midfielder Kante he can miss the rest of the season if he wants, having once fainted in training, whilst his brother then died of a heart attack in 2018
Argentinian Caballero, who has just signed a one-year contract extension, told TNT Sports he understood Kante’s concerns in an Instagram Live interview, saying: “It’s very understandable.
“He tested negative for Covid-19 but he had a bad time of it during quarantine with symptoms of the virus that gave him that fear.
“We respect him and we’ll wait until he feels comfortable because the truth is that to do what we’re doing you have to feel okay and feel confidence and after we start again, we have to all go forward together.
“N’Golo is a very humble and hard-working person who is always smiling and he must have his reasons to lift up his hand and say what he’s said.
“We did a lot of Zoom meetings… he said he didn’t feel safe going back to training because of the way he had felt over the last few weeks. We support him and we respect him.”
Timo Werner has been urged to consider a move to Chelsea or Manchester United as he would get more game time there than at Liverpool.
The RB Leipzig star has had an impressive campaign in the Bundesliga and Champions League and made headlines again on Sunday with a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Mainz.
It means he has now scored 30 goals this campaign, which has led to speculation over his future.
Liverpool are considered the favourites to land him – and he has made it clear that he would like a move to Anfield – with Bayern Munich also thought to be keen.
Werner has publicly rebutted interest in Bayern, giving Liverpool a boost in their pursuit.
But former United midfielder Owen Hargreaves believes he should move to Old Trafford – or Stamford Bridge – as he will struggle to start ahead of Roberto Firmino at Liverpool, report the Sportsmail.
“Well, he’s not going to get past Bobby Firmino, who is one of my favourite players to watch,” Hargreaves said while commentating for BT Sport.
“I think that’s the thing. Wherever he goes, he has to play. With the way United play right now, I could see him there. They need a number nine.
“Chelsea could be a good fit, I just think he’s perfect for Liverpool in a way, but he’s not guaranteed to start.
“If he’s happy rotating in the front three then yes, he’d be a great fit for Jurgen Klopp.
“He works hard, he’s a good goal-scorer, he’s a good team-mate, all those things they need but he’s not going to play ahead of Roberto Firmino, I just don’t see that. He’s too good in that team.”
Inter Milan have reportedly proposed a three-year contract to Edinson Cavani as they lead the race ahead of Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Newcastle United.
The Nerazzurri almost signed Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud in January, but the London scuttled the move when they failed to secure a viable replacement.
The Frenchman was reportedly keen to join the Italian club in the summer, and just like the futile January plan, Chelsea have extended the striker’s deal.
Now, the Serie A club are angling for their prime target’s replacement Cavani.
According to L’Equipe, the Nerazzurri have put forth a plan for a three-year contract that would run until June 2023.
That is a real show of trust in a striker who will be 36 by the time that deal expires.
He is a free agent, as his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires at the end of this season.
The French media source notes that Inter are the favourites, in part because Cavani already knows Serie A well thanks to his time at Palermo and Napoli from 2007 to 2013.
They are also expected to qualify for the Champions League for the third year running and Cavani’s versatility means he can play alongside or in place of Romelu Lukaku.
