Chelsea Transfer News: Willian responds to Barcelona speculation, PSG target £100 million offer for Chelsea Star and more - July 7, 2018

There has been no activity in the transfer window but irrespective of that, the non-participating Chelsea squad in the World Cup have arrived for pre-season training in Cobham.

The likes of Cesc Fabregas, David Luiz, Marcos Alonso, Davide Zappacosta, Tammy Abraham and others returned on Saturday afternoon despite the ambiguity that revolves around the club with Antonio Conte still being in charge as the appointment of Maurizio Sarri keeps getting halted.

On that note, here are the top transfer stories of the day pertaining to Chelsea:

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Willian comments on Barcelona rumours

Chelsea Winger Willian has attracted interest from Manchester United and Barcelona in the last month during the transfer window.

He responded to the Barcelona transfer talk in a recent press conference and accepted that he's been following the reports, the Metro understands. Similarly. the 29-year-old asserted that he is unsure about his future at Stamford Bridge.

Meanwhile, Barcelona superstars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez have urged manager Ernesto Valverde to swoop for Willian as they want reinforcement in attacking firepower at the Camp Nou, the Daily Star claims.

Elsewhere, Chelsea has also been eyeing potential replacements for Willian with the likes of Christian Pulisic and Dries Mertens on the books of incoming manager Maurizio Sarri. The Blues may be looking to fetch a fee of £50 million or more for the Brazilian with him having two years left on his current deal.

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PSG re-enter the race for N'Golo Kante

Kante won the Chelsea Player of the Year accolade last season

Paris Saint-Germain has re-emerged as the leading contenders to sign Chelsea midfield general N'Golo Kante. The Sun reports that the French club is prepared to offer £100 million along with a tempting and lucrative contract which will involve a major hike on the amount he earns at Stamford Bridge.

Similarly, PSG are willing to part ways with Adrien Rabiot and could be included in the deal as they are keen on bolstering their midfield ranks for next season with Champions League glory being the priority.

Previously, Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona were also keen on adding Kante to their squad but their interest has faded off late.

The 27-year-old has played an indispensable role in Chelsea's success over the last two years and it will be a challenge for the Blues to keep hold off him and convince him to stay in West London as they will look to rebuild next season and erase the memories of a disappointing last campaign.

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Blues submit an enquiry for Mateo Kovacic

Kovacic has been heavily linked with an exit from the Bernabeu

The Express UK states that Chelsea has contacted Real Madrid about the availability of Mateo Kovacic. The Croatian became unsettled in the Spanish capital last season due to a lack of game-time under former manager Zinedine Zidane.

Kovacic made 29 appearances in all competitions with a bulk of those opportunities coming in the form of a substitute. He is one of the several players destined to leave Real in the transfer window in search of first-team opportunities and a guaranteed starting role.

The 24-year-old has been impressive in the World Cup for his national side that has alerted the interest of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United too and could likely end up in the middle of a bidding war.

If Chelsea manages to get Mateo Kovacic across the line, it will allow new boss Maurizio Sarri to get rid of Danny Drinkwater and other deadwood, freeing up the budget for the Blues to compete for more signings in the window.

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