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Chelsea secured a hard-fought win over Plymouth Argyle in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday. Goals from Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso in extra time helped the London side edge the game 2-1 after 120 minutes.
Meanwhile, AC Milan have joined the race for Andrea Belotti, who is also wanted by the Blues. Elsewhere, Blues manager Thomas Tuchel has denied any contact with Ousmane Dembele in January.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on 5th February 2022:
Chelsea face competition for Andrea Belotti
Chelsea could face competition from AC Milan for Andrea Belotti, according to The Hard Tackle via Fichajes. The Italian is set to become a free agent this summer and the London side are plotting to take him to Stamford Bridge.
Belotti has consistently been among the goals since joining Torino from Palermo in 2015. The Italian has appeared 238 times for the Serie A side till date, scoring 107 goals and setting up 28 more. He has been the lone shining light in the Torino team, and has garnered interest from the Blues.
The Premier League giants are in troubled waters with their strikers. Thomas Tuchel invested heavily on Romelu Lukaku last summer. However, the Belgian has struggled to justify his astronomical price tag so far. Meanwhile, Timo Werner has also failed to assert his influence in the Premier League since arriving in the summer of 2020. The German striker is expected to leave at the end of the season.
Chelsea are tipped to finance a move for Erling Haaland this summer. However, the Norwegian is a much sought-after man, with Real Madrid and Manchester City among a host of clubs interested in him. The London side want to have a contingency plan ready in the event they miss out on the 21-year-old.
Belotti has emerged as a stellar option for the Blues. The Italian has the quality to serve as a backup, and even push for a starting place. However, the Premier League giants will have to ward off competition from AC Milan and Sevilla to get their man.
Thomas Tuchel denies contact with Ousmane Dembele
Thomas Tuchel has revealed that he did not contact Ousmane Dembele regarding a move in January. The Frenchman was linked with a move to Stamford Bridge last month, but ended up staying at Barcelona.
Speaking to the press, the Chelsea manager said he was satisfied with the club’s activity in the winter.
"I did not have contact with Ousmane. There was no contact in winter. I'm very satisfied because it was a calm window, and to be calm is always the best thing," said Tuchel.
The German manager also said that he was not frustrated at the club’s failure to bring in backup for the full-back position.
"No, no frustration because I was also calm. I know what kind of quality we would need to add to a very strong group. We trust in the players that we have, and it's my job to find solutions when we have injuries,” continued Tuchel.
Thomas Tuchel confirms Reece James will miss Club World Cup
Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Reece James will not be a part of the squad for the Club World Cup. The Englishman is missing from action due to injury.
Speaking to the press, Tuchel said James has not resumed training with the team yet.
“He is not in team training yet, so maybe that answers the question. After a couple of weeks, he will need some time in team training to get the confidence back. He does not travel with us to the Club World Cup,” said Tuchel.
