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Chelsea were held to a 2-2 draw by Burnley at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Saturday, March 30. Cole Palmer twice scored for the Blues, but the visitors managed to come away with a point.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have to pay £68.5m for the services of Viktor Gyokeres. Elsewhere, the London giants are not planning to offload Reece James this summer.
On that note, let's take a look at the major Chelsea transfer news from March 31, 2024.
Chelsea told to pay £68.5m for Viktor Gyokeres
Chelsea have to pay £68.5m to secure the services of Viktor Gyokeres, according to The Mirror.
The Blues are on the hunt for a new No. 9 this summer, following the struggles of the current crop. Romelu Lukaku is out on loan at AS Roma and not part of plans at Stamford Bridge. His replacement, Nicolas Jackson, has been a disappointment so far.
The London giants want a new face to spearhead their attack next season and have their eyes on Gyokeres. The Swedish forward has been in red-hot form for Sporting Lisbon this campaign, registering 36 goals and 14 assists from 39 outings across competitions. His efforts have convinced the Stamford Bridge hierarchy, who are hoping to go for the kill at the end of this season.
The 25-year-old reportedly has a £86m release clause in his contract and it was previously believed that the Portuguese side want his suitors to exercise that option.
However, it now appears that Sporting are willing to let him go for less. Chelsea are expected to face competition from Arsenal for Gyokeres' services this year.
Blues not eyeing Reece James' sale
Chelsea will not consider offers for Reece James this summer, according to 90 Min.
The English right-back has endured a difficult season so far, registering just nine appearances across competitions. The 24-year-old has already missed 31 games this campaign due to a hamstring injury and surgery. His contract extends until 2028, but speculation is ripe regarding his future.
Recent reports have suggested that Real Madrid have their eyes on James as a possible successor for Dani Carvajal. However, it now appears that the Blues will not entertain any offers for their skipper this summer.
Despite his recent struggles, Chelsea are ready to keep their trust in the player, who also wants to stay at Stamford Bridge.
Cole Palmer warns teammates after another poor showing
Cole Palmer has admitted Chelsea's performance against Burnley at Stamford Bridge on Saturday wasn't good enough.
The Clarets were reduced to 10 men late in the first half but managed to earn a hard-fought draw. Despite going ahead twice in the game, the Blues couldn't secure three points at home.
Speaking to the club's website after the game, Palmer insisted that his team should have won the game.
"That simply can’t happen. To go in front against 10 men and then lose the lead, at home, it’s just not good enough. The dressing room is really down because we know we should go on and win this game when they go down to 10 men, especially at home," said Palmer.
Palmer went on to add that the London giants have been making the same mistakes all season and urged his teammates to take more responsibilities.
"It’s a similar story if we are being honest. We have to take responsibility and improve on this as players. We fashioned many chances but couldn’t put them away and at the other end, there were times where we were sloppy in our defensive work. It’s just really disappointing not to win the game," said Palmer.
"I think we switched off too many times all over the pitch, especially for their goals. That can’t happen and if we are going to improve as a team, we need to find some consistency. Overall we need to sharpen up in both boxes. We need to be solid in defense and become more clinical at the other end," he added.
Palmer joined Chelsea from Manchester City last summer and has been a revelation so far, registering 18 goals and 12 assists from 38 outings across competitions.
