'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABiAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQgQAAIBBQABBQAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwAEBRESBgcTFBYxAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBREBAQABBQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQJBAAMEESES/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDKcvqKuFwuAtL7DWeQtsfNPPH3sSSTkCbczEt2hZh2n4wFUJfK7LNyvk/pPiafOY3HC2joF9496Cg6AG6UpXJBPzkFz6mru0rzOVHhMblEyHQApjX/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea succumbed to a 1-0 Premier League defeat at bottom-placed Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday (February 18). Graham Potter’s team were sunk by a James Ward-Prowse free-kick at the stroke of half-time.
Meanwhile, the Blues have suffered a setback in their quest to sign Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham. Elsewhere, Barcelona are interested in Joao Felix.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on February 18, 2023:
Chelsea receive Jude Bellingham blow
Chelsea have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Jude Bellingham. According to Football Insider, Liverpool are leading the race to sign the English midfielder.
The 19-year-old is wanted by clubs across the continent, and the Blues are also among his admirers. The London giants invested heavily in Enzo Fernandez last month but remain interested in further reinforcements in the centre of the park.
Bellingham is their ideal choice for the position, as Graham Potter looks to build a team that can dominate for years. However, the 19-year-old prefers a move to Anfield instead. He has registered ten goals and six assists in 28 games across competitions for Borussia Dortmund this season.
Barcelona want Joao Felix
Barcelona are interested in Joao Felix, according to AS. The Portuguese forward is currently on loan at Chelsea for the rest of the season from Atletico Madrid.
Although the Blues do not have a permanent option in the contract, they remain interested in keeping the player permanently at Stamford Bridge, as Felix has impressed big time.
However, the Blaugrana are also monitoring the 23-year-old. The La Liga giants wanted the player in January last year but failed to complete a deal due to the league's financial fair play norms.
Barcelona are planning to return for Felix at the end of the season but will face competition from Manchester United and Bayern Munich for his signature.
Christian Falk advises Blues to sign Randal Kolo Muani
Journalist Christian Falk has advised Chelsea to sign Randal Kolo Muani. The French forward is expected to leave Eintracht Frankfurt at the end of the season and is generating interest from the Premier League. The Blues are in need of a new No. 9 and could be tempted to move for the 24-year-old.
In his column for Caught Offside, Falk said that Kolo Muani’s new agent is pushing for a move away from the Bundesliga side.
“Before, there was a clear shared idea held between Frankfurt and Randal Kolo Muani’s agency that he’d be best-suited to stay one year more until 2024. But now this situation has changed. He’s got a new agent having switched from MDC to Moussa Sissoko (who’s quite famous in Germany for having arranged the transfer of Ousmane Dembélé),” wrote Falk.
He added:
“Everyone knows what will happen, I’m not sure that Muani will strike to force a move, but they’re really pushing for a transfer, and Frankfurt is aware of it. They’re no longer saying he’s not for sale, but the question remains as to whether English clubs will be put off by the asking price. They’ll have to pay a lot of money – Frankfurt are hoping for a record fee and have set a benchmark of €100m.
Falk also named Liverpool and Manchester United as possible suitors for Kolo Muani.
“If you go back to Barcelona’s move for Dembele, they ended up paying a huge amount of money for him, so it’s worth keeping in mind. So, the market for Muani is open, and many clubs are certainly interested in the striker. Bayern Munich are still out of the race – they profiled him and decided he didn’t fit their possession-based system – but he could be better suited for sides like Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United,” wrote Falk.
He continued:
“I’m not sure if Liverpool have the money for Muani; United are doing a lot of strange things with strikers at the moment, and Chelsea keep reinforcing their midfield. When you see what Bayern Munich are doing on the market, they’re always plugging specific gaps in their squad. Chelsea aren’t doing that, and they need a striker; perhaps Muani is the solution.”
The Frenchman has registered 14 goals and as many assists in 29 games across competitions this season for Frankfurt.
