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Chelsea progressed to the FA Cup final by beating Crystal Palace on Sunday. Goals from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount helped the Blues register a 2-0 victory over the Eagles.
Meanwhile, Blues manager Thomas Tuchel has advised Romelu Lukaku to follow in the footsteps of Timo Werner. Elsewhere, Ruben Loftus-Cheek has opened up on the wingback role.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on 17th April 2022:
Romelu Lukaku advised to follow in Timo Werner’s footsteps by Thomas Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel has advised Romelu Lukaku to emulate Timo Werner. The German striker has forced his way back into contention after outstanding performances against Southampton and Real Madrid. Like Werner, the Belgian has also struggled for regular game time this season.
Lukaku has been on the bench in three of the last four games for the Blues. While the Belgian has dropped down the pecking order under Tuchel, there are also rumours of a strained relationship with the German manager. However, Tuchel believes Lukaku needs to put the team first and work hard to fight his way back into the team.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s FA Cup tie, the German manager said that Werner's form means it's very difficult to leave him out of the team. Tuchel said:
“What Timo has done is exactly what (Lukaku) needs to do. Wait, be patient, work hard, and put the team first; be ready to help the team, because as a striker you can help within seconds. Now (Werner) has made it difficult to leave him out. I’m impressed; he was very, very good in the last two games. These were two games when he was much better than in any other game, and he showed what he is capable of."
He continued:
“Everybody thinks we as managers do the lineup, and of course we do. But in the end, the players take care that you don’t leave them out; they do it in training or in games, and of course in games, it’s the opportunity for everybody."
Ruben Loftus-Cheek opens up on wingback role
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has said that he feels comfortable in the right wing-back position he has been deployed in. The Englishman is highly regarded by Tuchel, who has played him in unconventional roles.
Speaking to the club’s website ahead of the FA Cup tie against Crystal Palace, Loftus-Cheek said that that he enjoys his new position. He said:
“It was a bit different between the two games but still had similar characteristics in the role that I was asked to do. I’d never started at right wing-back before, but it was a role I was confident to play and carry out what was asked of me."
Loftus-Cheek continued:
"I’ve always been comfortable wherever I am on the pitch; I just have to bring my qualities to that position. In midfield, you don’t necessarily get too much space to open up and drive with the ball, and that’s one of my big strengths, so in this position, sometimes, it allowed me to open up and go past people and use my running power. So I enjoyed it."
He added:
“Against Southampton, the gaffer gave me license to come inside, which is natural for me, to come and get the ball, and I think that kind of caught them off guard and pulled them about a bit. You don’t normally see a wing-back coming inside to a No.8 or a No.10 position to get the ball. They changed formation quite early, but we were just too focused on playing well and getting the win, and in the end it was ruthless.".
Swansea City interested in Chelsea starlet
Swansea City are keeping a close eye on Ethan Ampadu, according to The Football League World.
The 21-year-old is highly rated at Chelsea, who view him as a future star. The versatile midfielder has impressed while on loan with Venezia this season. He's expected to return to Stamford Bridge at the end of the campaign.
Chelsea are likely to send him out on loan next season, and Swansea are planning to lap him up. Russell Martin is eager to add Ampadu to his roster and believes the 21-year-old could flourish in his tactics.
