Fikayo Tomori Expected to Extend Chelsea Contract Imminently as Talks Enter Advanced Stage

​Chelsea centre back Fikayo Tomori is close to agreeing a new contract to extend his stay at the club, with talks reaching an advanced stage.

The 21-year-old has made an excellent start to the 2019/20 campaign, cementing his place in the heart of the Blues’ defence. Overall, he has featured 16 times in all competitions so far. 

His performances have also seen him earn his first cap for England as he came on during the Three Lions’ 4-0 win over Kosovo in November.


​It was reported back in September that the west London side had opened contract talks with Tomori after an impressive start to the season. The report stated that talks had begun over a contract which would see him commit to the club until 2024.

​Goal now report that following months of contract talks, the Englishman is on the verge of signing a contract extension after talks entered an advanced stage.

Tomori joined the club at under-eight level and has progressed through the club’s academy system. He has had loan spells at Brighton and Hove Albion, Hull City and most recently ​Derby County, where he excelled in 2018/19 under Frank Lampard.

Fikayo Tomori

The defender would be the latest talented youngster to put pen to paper on a new deal this season, with Mason Mount, ​Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Billy Gilmour all penning new deals, while Callum Hudson-Odoi has also signed a new five-year deal.

The news of another one of Lampard’s young guns committing to the club will excite fans, with the Blues making a strong start to the new campaign despite the recent poor run of form. 

​Chelsea host Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday in a crunch clash as they look to secure their place in the last 16. They will be without Tomori, ​who has been ruled out with a small hip strain, but Antonio Rudiger has finally overcome his recent injury struggles and could be in line to feature. 

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Roman Abramovich Rejects Mega-Money Bid From American Billionaire to Sell Chelsea

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich reportedly rejected a mammoth offer ‘in recent weeks’ to sell Chelsea Football Club from American billionaire Todd Boehly. 

Abramovich has been the club’s majority shareholder since 2003 and under his ownership up to this point, the Blues have won the Premier League five times, the FA Cup five times, the League Cups three times, the Europa League twice, as well as the Champions League in 2012.

However, as a result of the difficulties he has had in renewing his visa, Abramovich has not attended a game at Stamford Bridge since 2018. The last game the 53-year-old attended was the Europa League final back in May.

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As a result, he has been linked with selling the club in recent times. However, it was ​reported towards the end of November that Abramovich was no longer open to the idea of selling ​Chelsea, with the majority shareholder ‘very pleased’ with the way things are going under new manager Frank Lampard.

​The Wall Street Journal are now reporting that he has now rejected a giant offer from American billionaire Boehly in November. The report claims that while the bid fell short of the $3bn (£2.28n) asking price, the exact offer is not yet known. 

It further mentions that Boehly ‘remains interested’ and may look to return with another bid. The businessman was the former president of Guggenheim Partners LLC before forming Eldridge Industries LLC in 2015.

Chelsea FC v Valencia CF: Group H - UEFA Champions League

The London School of Economics (LSE) graduate has shown an interest in expanding the firm and branching out from the United States. Boehly owns 20% of Major League Baseball side LA Dodgers, while he also part-owns Women’s National Basketball Association side Los Angeles Sparks.

This, of course, isn’t the first offer that Abramovich has turned down in recent times, ​having reportedly rejected a big-money offer from the Middle East towards the end of the 2018/19 season. 

It remains to be seen whether the majority shareholder is indeed not interested in selling the club, or if he is holding out for the right price. 

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How Sam Kerr Will Fit Into Chelsea Women’s Current Attacking Force

When Chelsea Women announced the signing of Australian international Sam Kerr last month, it sent shock waves across the footballing world.

Despite fierce competition from other European clubs, including current leaders in women’s football Lyon, the Blues were the ones who managed to bag the striker – sending a powerful message about the current growth of the Women’s Super League.

However, Kerr will have to wait until January to get her first game in a Chelsea shirt, during the WSL’s mid-season transfer window. The 26-year-old has won five consecutive golden boots across both the NWSL and Australia’s W-League, meaning that her arrival to England’s top-tier can only be a good thing, right?

After all, Kerr is bound to bring a great influx of supporters to the women’s game – with fans leaping at the chance to catch a glimpse of the international star in action.

Yet, this leaves one lingering question for Emma Hayes – what will happen to the current attacking talent, once Kerr is introduced to the squad?

It’s no secret that the ​Chelsea boss is already faced with a difficult challenge when it comes to selecting her starting XI for each game. With an array of attacking talent, including the likes of Fran Kirby, Guro Reiten and Beth England, Hayes will have an even tougher decision on her hands when Kerr is finally brought in.

Of course, Kerr is expected to start virtually every game for the Blues – and for good reason. Regarded as one of the best players in the world, it would be foolish for Chelsea to neglect Kerr’s talents. However, this means that the other forwards may have to make way for the latest superstar.

Beth England is currently in superb form for the Blues, having scored five goals this season – including one in Chelsea’s 2-1 victory against ​Manchester City at the weekend. This makes her the second-highest goal scorer in the league, only behind Arsenal’s higher-flyer Vivianne Miedema.

Bethany England

But it’s not only the stats which makes England’s story so remarkable – after returning from Liverpool this summer, following a two-year loan spell with the Reds, she made her perfect comeback into the Chelsea squad, scoring her first goal in the opening game of the season against rivals ​Spurs at Stamford Bridge. Not only has the 25-year-old won over the Chelsea fans, but her recent success has also caught the eye of Phil Neville, as she secured her first call-up for the international team earlier this year.

The rising star appears to be in the best form of her career – and seeing the forward dropped from the squad would be unfortunate. A possibility could see England play on the wing, taking the spot of either Guro Reiten or Ramona Bachmann – Emma Hayes’ two preferred starting wingers.

However, Guro Reiten, Chelsea’s only addition this summer, has also fitted into the squad quite nicely. The Norwegian international has great chemistry with her Chelsea teammates, contributing to the side’s dangerous attack – making her a firm favourite under Hayes.

Guro Reiten

Fran Kirby is also one of Chelsea’s most valued attacking players and despite suffering a setback of unfortunate injuries in recent times, she is still regarded as one of the best. Her injury concerns saw the English international miss out on their recent win over Manchester City, as well as their previous 6-0 victory against Birmingham City last month. But could Sam Kerr’s arrival, along with Kirby’s recent struggles for fitness, really see one of Chelsea’s best players become permanently side-lined?

This season, forward Erin Cuthbert has already played much deeper as Hayes continues to experiment with the different formations. Therefore, Kerr’s arrival could see the Chelsea manager switch up the players once more.

Although not the worst problem to possess, it will be interesting to see how Hayes will juggle this huge amount of Chelsea talent – and what players will, subsequently, be dropped. 

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Chelsea vs Lille Preview: Where to Watch, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News

​Chelsea will look to secure qualification to the Champions League knockout stage when they face Lille at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

The Blues are currently third in Group H but know a win will guarantee them a spot in the last 16, regardless of the result of the night’s other clash between Ajax and Valencia.

Frank Lampard’s side have stumbled in their last few group games, picking up draws against Ajax and Valencia, while Lille remain winless in the competition so far this season, managing just one point.

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Where to Watch

When Is Kick Off? Tuesday 10th December​
​What Time Is Kick Off? 20:00 (BST)​
Where Is it Played? Stamford Bridge​
TV Channel/Live Stream? ​BT Sport 2
Referee? ​Tasos Sidiropoulos

Team News

The headline news for Chelsea is that Antonio Rudiger is back in the squad following a succession of injury problems. His season has been blighted by a knee problem that kept him sidelined at the start of the campaign, before suffering a groin injury against Wolves during his sole appearance of the season.

Fikayo Tomori is out with a small hip strain while Olivier Giroud will also be absent. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is a long term absentee, while Cesar Azpilicueta and Jorginho are both a booking away from one match bans.

Lille will be without 19-year-old Timothy Weah, while Adama Soumaoro and Reinildo are both doubtful.


Predicted Lineups

​Chelsea Arrizabalaga; James, Zouma, Christensen, Azpilicueta; ​Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic; Willian, Abraham, Pulisic.
​Lille ​Maignan; Celik, Djalo, Gabriel, Bradaric; Andre, Soumare; Sanches, Ikone, Bamba; Osimhen.

Head to Head Record

There’s very little history to go over between these two teams. Prior to the game earlier in the competition, there had been no competitive meetings between Chelsea and Lille, while only two friendlies have been played out – both in 1950.

The game played in October saw ​Chelsea earn a vital victory with a late winner. Tammy Abraham had given the visitors the lead with his first ever ​Champions League goal before Victor Osimhen equalised.

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​Willian scored the decisive goal, sending a volley over Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan.


Recent Form

Things have just started to get a little iffy for Chelsea after a positive start to the season.

Frank Lampard

Losses to ​West Ham and ​Everton have stunted their Premier League process, either side of a tight 2-1 victory against Aston Villa. They’ve drawn their last two Champions League games, meaning their progress hinges on Wednesday night’s result.

Lille have secured three 1-0 victories on the bounce in Ligue 1 following losses to Paris Saint-Germain and Ajax. Osimhen has been their standout player so far this term, managing nine goals and three assists in 16 league appearances.

Here are each side’s last five results.

​Chelsea Lille
​Everton 3-1 Chelsea (7/12) ​Lille 1-0 Brest (6/12)
​Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa (4/12) ​Lyon 0-1 Lille (3/12)
​Chelsea 0-1 West Ham (30/11) ​Lille 1-0 Dijon (30/11)
​Valencia 2-2 Chelsea (27/11) ​Lille 0-2 Ajax (27/11)
​Manchester City 2-1 Chelsea (23/11) ​Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 Lille (22/11)

Prediction

This game has the potential for things to go horribly wrong for Chelsea, but Lampard’s side should have enough to get past a defensively resolute Lille side.

Mason Mount,Tammy Abraham

The visitors cannot secure Europa League football with any kind of result, and with Tammy Abraham leading the line Chelsea will get the result they need to continue their journey in Europe’s elite club competition.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Lille

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Antonio Conte Pondering Marcos Alonso Reunion With Inter ‘Interested’ in Chelsea Defender

Marcos Alonso could be offered an Italian escape route from Chelsea next month, with former Blues boss Antonio Conte ‘more than interested’ in bringing the left-back back to Serie A.

Alonso has suffered from a dramatic fall from grace as of late. Although he was Frank Lampard’s first choice left-back until November, he hasn’t been seen since he was withdrawn at half-time in the 4-4 draw with Ajax – in which he had a disastrous 45 minutes.

Emerson and makeshift left-back Cesar Azpilicueta are now seemingly ahead of him in the pecking order, and ​Chelsea are once again able to sign players in January after a ​CAS ruling cut short their registration embargo. That being the case, it seems likely the Stamford Bridge side will listen to offers to get him off the wage bill for the second half of the season and beyond. 

Marcos Alonso,Daniel James

And according to ​Calcio Mercato, that could come from his former manager Conte, with high-flying Inter said to be ‘more than interested’ in bringing the Spaniard back to Serie A, where he starred for Fiorentina between 2013-16. 

However, it’s unclear where the reports actually originate from. Calciomercato source the vague ‘British press’ while all UK reports seem to trace back to the Italian outlet, but in any case it’s one of the more substantiated transfer rumours out there ahead of the window reopening in around three weeks’ time. 

Marcos Alonso

The report, wherever it stems from, claims that Inter are considering an offer, but at this stage will only take him on loan with no pre-agreed obligation to buy, allowing them to make a decision on the 28-year-old in the summer. 

It notes that Chelsea would then look to Ben Chilwell or Nathan Aké, ​in whom they are thought to hold a £40m buy-back clause, as a replacement in the event of his departure. 

Also leaving Chelsea could be the similarly out-of-favour Pedro, who is ​reported to have an offer on the table from Aston Villa. 


For more from Robbie Copeland, follow him on Twitter!

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