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Chelsea travel to the Amex on Tuesday to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.
The Blues have dropped to third in the league table, and are desperate for a win against the Seagulls. Their title hopes are as good as over, after a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday has seen them fall 13 points behind the league leaders after 22 games.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have received a boost in their pursuit of an AS Monaco midfielder. Elsewhere, the Blues are facing competition from Barcelona for a Bayern Munich defender.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on 18th January 2022.
Chelsea receive boost in pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni
Chelsea have been handed a lifeline in their pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni. According to Football London, The Blues are the frontrunners for the Frenchman after Manchester United exited the race. The London side are long-term admirers of the 21-year-old, and now have the chance to get their man.
Tchouameni has become a household name, thanks to his exploits with AS Monaco. The player has broken into the French national team, and already looks like a future superstar. Chelsea believe he can fill the shoes of N'Golo Kante, or even be an upgrade on his more illustrious compatriot at Stamford Bridge.
The former Leicester City midfielder has been outstanding for the Blues since joining them in 2016. However, the Frenchman will turn 31 in March, so the London side are laying down plans to find a worthy successor.
Tchouameni represents the future, and is expected to seamlessly slot into his compatriot's shoes, according to French football expert Jonathan Johnson.
"Tchouameni at the top of his game is a force of nature, and has the potential to be the player that Tuchel builds his new-look midfield around," said Johnson.
"My impression is that Kante is closer to the end of his Chelsea story than the start, so it would make sense that Tuchel looks to blend Tchouameni more with Jorginho and Kovacic than his fellow Frenchman," continued Johnson.
Blues face competition from Barcelona for Niklas Sule
Chelsea could face competition from Barcelona for the signature of Niklas Sule, according to Caught Offside.
The Blues are in a quandary regarding their backline. The London side could lose Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta at the end of the season. Manager Thomas Tuchel has his eyes on Bayern Munich star Sule as he attempts to sort out the issue.
The German defender's contract with the Bavarians expires this summer, and he is uninterested in a new deal. Chelsea are hoping to pick him up for free, but Barcelona are leading the race for his signature.
Chelsea interested in PSG full-back Layvin Kurzawa
Chelsea are interested in a loan deal for Layvin Kurzawa this month, according to Sky Sports.
The Frenchman is an isolated figure at PSG, and is not part of manager Mauricio Pochettino's plans. Kurzawa made his lone appearance of the season as a second-half substitute in PSG's French Super Cup defeat to Lille. The Blues are looking for a new left-back this month, and have zeroed in on the 29-year-old.
The London side have struggled to cope with the season-ending injury to Ben Chilwell. Tuchel only has Marcos Alonso in the position, and cannot recall Emerson Palmieri and Ian Maatsen from their loan deals. So he wants to add Kurzawa to his roster.
However, transfer expert Jonathan Johnson may not be a good fit at Chelsea, owing to his frosty relationship with Tuchel. He said:
"Kurzawa is someone who will be on the move if an offer is acceptable to PSG and the player. He's barely featured for PSG this season so a move would definitely be in his interests."
"That said, it would have to be to somewhere which interested him. He doesn't have the best relationship with Thomas Tuchel from their past, so I'm not sure it would be the most logical fit. Chelsea are looking for more depth on the left with Chilwell's injury, but I'm not sure it's the best fit."
