Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Blues prepare bid for £80m defender, Kai Havertz deal stuck over minor detail, and more - 29th August 2020

In today's Chelsea transfer roundup, we have the latest as the Blues prepare a bid to sign a Premier League defender, which would see the club's spending eclipse £250 million. We also have an update on the Kai Havertz deal and more.

Chelsea prepare a bid for West Ham's Declan Rice

According to The Sun, Chelsea are preparing an audacious swoop for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, with the Blues hoping to get a deal done for much less than the Hammers' £80-million asking price.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard is said to be a huge admirer of the 21-year-old midfielder, who can also play as a central defender, and wants to add him to his ranks to improve the defence.

The Blues have already spent over £130 million in the signings of Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner and Ben Chilwell, while Thiago Silva and Malang Sarr arrived on free transfers.

Rice was Lampard's top defensive target for this transfer window, and Chelsea are ready to capitalise on West Ham's precarious situation -- where they need to sell before they can buy.

The Hammers are holding out for a fee of £80 million for their prized asset but Chelsea are confident of getting a deal done for much lesser and are prepared to play the waiting game. The Blues faced a similar situation when signing Leicester City's Ben Chilwell. The Foxes were holding out for a fee closer to £80 million but the Londoners managed to sign the full-back for £50 million.

West Ham are also trying to offload Felipe Anderson and Manuel Lanzini to fund other transfers but have struggled to find buyers for the duo, forcing them to consider parting with their prized asset.

Kai Havertz deal stuck over minor details

Chelsea are edging closer to completing a deal to sign Bayer Leverkusen forward Kai Havertz, with only minor details left to be ironed out. According to reports, the last remaining sticking point between the two clubs is regarding the bonuses and when they will be paid to the Bundesliga outfit.

It has been reported that the Blues have agreed an initial £72-million deal to sign the 21-year-old sensation, and the costs could potentially rise to £90 million with add-ons.

Chelsea had already agreed on personal terms with the German forward. Speaking in a recent podcast, Bild journalist Christian Falk said:

"They’re very close, the parties, because of the price. It’s a question of add-ons – €80 million should be paid directly and then €10 million and €10 million. The hold-up is when."

True @Podcast_TBG https://t.co/EuRiPTe6G4

— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) August 28, 2020

Chelsea switch attention to AC Milan goalkeeper

Despite outspending every other football team on the planet this summer, Chelsea are nowhere close to being done with their transfer business. According to Football Insider, the Blues are now planning a swoop for AC Milan shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma in an exchange deal involving Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Kepa endured a dismal campaign between the sticks for the Stamford Bridge outfit and was guilty of a number of high-profile errors. The Blues are looking to sign a world-class goalkeeper ahead of next season. They were previously linked with the likes of Jan Oblak, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Dean Henderson but have now switched their attention to Donnarumma.

According to the report, Chelsea have offered Kepa on a season-long loan in exchange for signing Donnarumma on a loan deal, with an option to buy next season. The Blues recognise that it is near impossible to get Milan to part with their prized asset. However, with only a year left on Donnarumma's deal, they are hopeful.