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If there was ever a race to be contested among the Premier League top six when it came to signing new players, Chelsea would be lagging behind in it and be at the bottom of that list.
Over a month has passed since the transfer window has been opened but the Blues have been very inactive thus far. External factors such as Roman Abrahamovic's legal issues may have affected the club and all excuses from the Board has been irrelevant since it has caused an unrest among players and fans alike.
On that note, here are the top transfer stories of the day pertaining to Chelsea:
Blues reach agreement for Daniele Rugani deal
Chelsea and Juventus have agreed upon terms for the transfer of Daniele Rugani to West London, reports the Daily Star. The defender will cost £31 million with add-ons and looks set to become the first signing of the summer for the Blues.
Rugani is regarded as one of the brightest young prospects in Italian football. His impressive performances at the club level over the last few seasons rewarded him with a call-up to the Italian national team in 2016 and has represented the Azzurri seven times in his career thus far.
The 23-year-old voiced his frustration at a lack of playing time at Juventus last season as he was able to make just 22 appearances in the league last season. Rugani will be an ideal fit in the Chelsea lineup and a perfect upgrade on the ageing Gary Cahill, who endured a disastrous 2017/18 campaign.
Maurizio Sarri is likely to become the next manager of Chelsea and he knows Daniele Rugani very well from his time in Empoli as the center-back enjoyed a successful two-year spell under the former Napoli boss.
Sarri identifies four new signings
Maurizio Sarri may not have landed the Chelsea job yet, but he has been busy scouting new signings for the club in the transfer window.
According to the Mirror, the Italian manager will target four Napoli players which include the likes of Dries Mertens, Jose Callejon, Elseid Hysaj and Raul Albiol.
Previously, Sarri had stated his intentions of recruiting his former players to Chelsea, with Gonzalo Higuain and Kalidou Koulibaly some of the few names that have already been brought up on his transfer wishlist.
The above mentioned Napoli players at least have two or more years remaining on their current deals but the Blues can still make a push for them in the market since they have buyout clauses in their contract.
Further transfer targets involve midfielders Jean Michael Seri of Nice and Inter Milan's Matias Vecino while players like Alvaro Morata, Davide Zappacosta, Danny Drinkwater and David Luiz could be offloaded to free up some cash in the budget.
As per the situation regarding the appointment of Maurizio Sarri, his contract is most likely to be sorted out by the end of this month allowing him to take charge at Stamford Bridge in early July.
Chelsea join the chase for Miralem Pjanic
Chelsea have emerged as one of the favourites to land the signature of Juventus' midfielder Miralem Pjanic, The Sun claims. The Bosnian has a contract until 2021 with the Bianconeri and he is believed to be available for a huge sum of £70 million.
Pjanic is on the radar of potential new boss Maurizio Sarri as the Italian is keen on the Juve Star to be his midfield general at Chelsea. The 28-year-old has been a huge hit since his arrival in Turin two years back and has played an instrumental part in the success that Juventus have achieved.
However, the Blues will have to engage in a battle with Barcelona in the transfer window to secure Pjanic's services as the La Liga Champions are in the hunt for Andres Iniesta's replacement.
Miralem Pjanic is an excellent all-round midfielder and would fit the requirements ideally in West London as his game is suitably equipped and greatly developed to meet the demands of English football plus he also brings in the added bonus of being a free kick specialist.
Chelsea lead the race for Kostas Manolas
Chelsea's hunt for a new defender carries on as the latest name to be linked with the 2017/18 FA Cup Winners is AS Roma's Kostas Manolas, as per the Express UK.
Similarly, Arsenal have also been monitoring the Greek defender but it is believed that Chelsea are ready to meet Manolas' €36 million release clause and are in pole position to secure the deal. The Blues are prepared to offer him a significant hike on weekly wages compared which will see him earn €5 million per year in West London.
The 27-year-old has grown as one of the best centre-backs in Europe over the past few years. He has been an ever-present component in the Roma starting lineup as his leadership at the back has attained Roma significant success in recent seasons with the Giallorossi having qualified for each of the last four Champions League campaigns.
Last season, Manolas made 27 appearances in the league, averaging 1.6 interceptions, 4.5 clearances per game and scored two goals as well. His aerial ability is his biggest strengths as he tends to win a number of aerial battles and averaged two successful headers per match in all competitions last campaign.
Ruben Loftus Cheek set for Chelsea stay
Chelsea fans will be glad to hear that their promising youngster Ruben Loftus-Cheek is set to remain at the club next season, according to the reports of ChronicleLive.
Despite an injury-plagued campaign, Loftus Cheek played 21 games in the league, contributing with two goals and three assists. However, following a return from injury, the Chelsea midfielder played an important role in Palace's resurgence in the Premier League as The Eagles comfortably beat the drop and finished in the top 10.
Loftus-Cheek recently demanded a bigger role in the squad next season at Stamford Bridge or else he will be inclined on parting ways with his boyhood club. Since breaking into the first team in 2014, the midfielder has played just 32 games for The Blues, with a majority of them being substitute appearances.
This has attracted the interest of Premier League clubs Newcastle United and Crystal Palace as they have been monitoring his situation and are keen to grab him on loan for the upcoming season.
