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What’s the rumour?
If reports by GloboEsporte are to be believed, Chelsea are on the verge of signing Bernard. The Brazilian is currently a free agent after running down his contract at FC Shakhtar Donetsk. Chelsea reportedly see him as an alternative to Aleksandr Golovin.
The Blues are looking to sign a midfielder after Maurizio Sarri claimed that the current players were not enough. The manager said in his very first press conference: “I cannot name the players I need. I have spoken with the club and told them a certain quality is lacking the midfield.”
In case you didn’t know...
Chelsea were the hot favourites to sign Golovin after beating Juventus in the race at the start of the summer transfer window. The Russia midfielder was keen on joining them but the Premier League side failed to reach an agreement with his club and agent.
AS Monaco took full advantage of the situation and made a swift move. The Ligue 1 side are now waiting for the player to arrive for his medical before signing the contract.
The heart of the matter
The report in the Brazilian publication claims that Bernard 12 official contract offers. They report that the likes of West Ham, Leicester City, Wolfsburg and Palmeiras were keen on signing him but Chelsea's offer impressed him the most.
The FA Cup holders have offered the Brazilian a lucrative contract and now working expecting him to sign for the club. The midfielder is also said to be keen on joining the club.
Rumour probability: 8/10
GloboEsporte are a very reliable source in Brazil and have broken several transfers before others. They are one of the best sources for Brazilian football are might well be spot non with this news as well.
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What’s next?
Bernard is expected to arrive in London in the coming days. He will then have to undergo a medical before signing his contract at Chelsea and starting his training at Cobham. He might have to start things alone at the training ground as the Blues will be headed for Nice and Dublin where they face Inter Milan and Arsenal in pre-season friendlies.
