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Chelsea are working to add more quality to their squad this summer after a disappointing run in the league and Europe. The Blues finished last season in third place in the Premier League and were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals by Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, Juventus are willing to consider Christian Pulisic as part of an offer for Matthijs de Ligt. Elsewhere, the Blues have received a boost in their pursuit of a Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defender.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on July 2, 2022:
Juventus willing to consider Christian Pulisic as part of offer for Matthijs de Ligt
Juventus are ready to accept Christian Pulisic as a part of Chelsea's offer for Matthijs de Ligt, 90 Min reports.
The Blues are eager to take the Dutch defender to Stamford Bridge this summer. The 22-year-old is also open to arriving at the London side, having already turned down an offer to extend his contract with Juventus.
The Bianconeri are not looking to offload him, given his contract expires in 2024. However, they are willing to sanction a move for a fee of around €100 million. The Blues are offering to include a player in the move to sweeten the deal. Although the Serie A giants were initially looking for a cash-only deal, they are warming up to a player-plus-cash offer involving Pulisic.
Manager Thomas Tuchel is ready to offload the American this summer, as Pulisic is not part of the plans for the upcoming season.
Chelsea receive boost in Presnel Kimpembe pursuit
Chelsea have received a boost in their pursuit of Presnel Kimpembe. According to Fichajes via The Hard Tackle, PSG are looking to cash in on the Frenchman this summer. New sporting director Luis Campos is planning a clear out to make room for Milan Skriniar in the squad. Kimpembe is set to face the axe.
The Blues have their eyes on the 26-year-old, with Tuchel looking to solidify has options at the back this summer. The German manager is keen to be reunited with his former player at Stamford Bridge, and the Parisians could let him leave for €50 million.
Sebastien Ledure opens lid on Romelu Lukaku's return to Inter Milan
Romelu Lukaku's lawyer Sebastien Ledure has opened up on Romelu Lukaku's return to Inter Milan. The Belgian striker left Chelsea to rejoin the Nerazzurri on loan this summer after a difficult year at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking to La Libre, Ledure said the trouble started with the infamous interview with Sky Sports Italia.
"This interview was from the heart and was perhaps awkward. It was an initiative that he took on his own and that he probably wouldn't take again. He suffered the consequences of this for the remainder of the season as it weighed down his daily work environment," said Ledure.
He added:
"But he quickly made it clear to me that, given he is 29 and at the peak of his career, he could not afford to lose another year. It's an open secret that he was not on the same wavelength as his coach. But the negotiations only started at the end of the season."
The lawyer went on to add that a move was only possible because a change of management at the London club.
"At first, nobody believed it was going to happen. The question was: how can a player who was sold for more than €100m go back to the same club that says there is no money to take him back?" said Ledure.
He continued:
"On top of that, you should know that during the transfer last year, relations between the former management of Chelsea and the management of Inter were very tense. If there hadn't been a change of ownership at Chelsea, I doubt this deal would have been possible."
Ledure went on to add that the Belgian has taken a pay cut to move back to Serie A.
"Yes [Lukaku agreed to a salary cut]. But much less than what the press says. I read that he cut his salary by a third or a half. It's not true. He's still the highest paid player in Serie A," said Ledure.
