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Chelsea stumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday (September 6) in their UEFA Champions League opener. The Premier League giants have now lost three of their seven games across competitions this season.
Meanwhile, the London giants have parted company with manager Thomas Tuchel. Elsewhere, the Blues are planning a €100 million offer for an AC Milan forward in January.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories on September 7, 2022:
Chelsea part ways with Thomas Tuchel
Chelsea have parted ways with Thomas Tuchel, the club have announced. The German manager has been under tremendous pressure after a rocky start to the new campaign. The shock defeat to Dinamo Zagreb proved to be the last straw to break the camel’s back. The new Blues regime decided to part ways with their manager 100 days after taking charge at Stamford Bridge,
Tuchel took over at Stamford Bridge in January last year and proved to be an instant hit. The German guided the Blues to a UEFA Champions League triumph in the 2020-21 season. He followed that up with a UEFA Super Cup win at the start of last season. Tuchel then created history by helping the club lift their first ever FIFA Club World Cup earlier this year.
The German manager finished third in his first full season with the London giants, and expectations were ripe ahead of the current campaign. The new Chelsea owners backed Tuchel during the summer, investing heavily in the squad, but the start to the campaign was not to their expectations.
The Blues have won three of their opening seven games across competitions. Tuchel expressed displeasure at the club’s performance against Zagreb but was not afforded the opportunity to turn things around at Stamford Bridge.
Blues planning €100 million January offer for Rafael Leao
Chelsea are planning to break the bank for Rafael Leao in January, according to Todo Fichajes via Caught Offside.
The Blues allowed both Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner to leave Stamford Bridge this summer. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was brought in on deadline day to address the situation, but Leao was also on the club’s wishlist.
Despite the arrival of Aubameyang from Barcelona and Raheem Sterling from Manchester City, the Blues have looked toothless in attack recently.
Leao has been in blistering form of late for the Rossoneri, and Chelsea are ready to offer €100 million for the Portuguese. The Serie A giants are likely to let him leave if they receive such a colossal fee.
Edouard Mendy rejects initial contract renewal offer
Edouard Mendy has rejected Chelsea's initial contract renewal offer, according to The Evening Standard.
The Senegalese has been the preferred option in between the posts at Stamford Bridge of late, but he currently earns far less than Kepa Arrizabalaga. The London side are looking to reward Mendy with an improved deal, but the player is not happy with the terms offered.
The Blues' proposal for Mendy is still inferior to Kepa's, who currently earns £190,000 per week. The Senegalese wants wages at par with the man he has relegated to the bench and has refused to accept the offer on the table. Mendy's current contract runs till 2025 and given his importance to the club, the Blues could return with an improved offer for the player.
