Friday, 8 September 2017
[BREAKING] Rivers Ritual Killing: Police Rearrest Fugitive Suspect In Jos
Tuesday, 29 August 2017
Bakayoko: Drinkwater would improve midfield competition
Livescores.com
The Blues are in the hunt to sign the Englishman in the last few days of the transfer window, but are reportedly unwilling to meet the Foxes' asking price of over £30million.
Bakayoko signed for Antonio Conte's side earlier in the window and doesn't believe Drinkwater would threaten his place in the team, but admits he would add to the competition in midfield.
“Danny Drinkwater doesn't scare me,” Bakayoko told SFR Sport.
“It's the competition. It's good, I think every team needs that. It makes you improve.”
Bakayoko signed from AS Monaco in a £40million deal and has made two Premier League appearances for the Blues so far.
Coutinho just needed a pep talk
Livescores.com
The 25-year-old Liverpool playmaker, who is a target for Barcelona, has not featured for his club this season.
A back injury was cited as the reason for his absence, with Coutinho, who handed in a transfer request earlier this month, most recently observed being put through his paces while on international duty as Brazil prepare to face Ecuador and Colombia in World Cup qualifiers.
Simoni was reported to have said "Coutinho back problem? He is OK now. The back problem was a matter of stress, it was something emotional.
"The uncertainty about his future led to him feeling stressed. Everything is solved now.
"Coutinho and I have been friends for years. I always treat his medical cases. All he needed was someone to give him a pep talk."
Barcelona have had three bids for Coutinho rejected by Liverpool.
Koke hopes for Costa return
Livescores.com
The Blues outcast is no longer in the plans of manager Antonio Conte, and The Mirror claims that theyt are close to selling him back to Atleti for a fee of £30million.
"We all want Diego Costa to come, but the situation is complicated," Koke said.
"If Diego comes, he will help us and he already knows a lot of us at the club so for us it would be very exciting."
Costa has missed the opening weeks of the Premier League while hiding out in Brazil, while the deal is further complicated by Atleti’s transfer ban, that will only be lifted in January.
Everton have emerged as possible foster parents until Costa’s return to Atleti can be finalised, with Toffees boss Ronald Koeman "still looking to bring a striker in".
"I don’t know," Koeman said of the proposed loan deal. "I said always a warm welcome for every good player and he’s a good player."
Arsenal midfielder off to VVV
Livescores.com
The 19-year-old Arsenal midfielder, who spent the recently completed campaign on loan with MVV Maastricht, has reportedly returned to Holland.
A Nigeria under 20 international, Nwakali joined Arsenal in 2016, but is yet to feature for Arsene Wenger's charges, and last season scored three times in 34 games for Maastricht for the Eerste Divisie side.
According to Voetbal International, Nwakali will fly to the Netherlands from Nigeria once he is awarded a work permit.
Utrecht and Basel were two other clubs said to be keen on the former Super Eaglets captain.
Blues agree fee for Oxlade-Chamberlain
Livescores.com
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looks set to end his long association with Arsenal after Chelsea agreed a fee for the England international.
The 24-year-old has been at the Emirates Stadium since 2011 when he left Southampton at the age of 16 with the club from the south coast playing in League One at the time.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has failed to stake a regular place in Arsene Wenger's first team over the years, and admitted at the end of last season he might have to look elsewhere for more game-time.
The winger, who has been employed out of position on both the right and left flank as a wing-back this term, recently rejected a new contract offer from the Gunners with his current deal up at the end of the 2017/18 campaign.
Rather than lose him for nothing next year, the north Londoners have opted to cash in on Oxlade-Chamberlain, with the Blues expected to make him their fifth signing in the transfer window.
Monday, 28 August 2017
Conte: I'm committed to Chelsea
Livescores.com
Conte agreed an improved two-year deal in the summer after leading Chelsea to the Premier League title in his first season, but there are ongoing rumours the Italian is unhappy with the club's transfer activity.
Chelsea signed Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Antonio Rudiger in the summer, but missed out on Romelu Lukaku, while Nemanja Matic also moved to Old Trafford.
With the summer transfer window set to close this Thursday, Conte said he will focus on working with players already at Stamford Bridge.
"My message for the fans is always the same: I'm totally committed to the club and to improve my players and team," Conte said following Sunday's game with Everton.
"I'm a coach not a manager and my best work is on the pitch improving my players and team. Then when you want to strengthen your squad you have to give your opinion, then the club goes in the transfer market to try to solve the situation.
"Sometimes it is possible, sometimes it is not, but I must be focused on the pitch and to work with my players.
"Don't forget when we start, next month, in September we have to play seven games. I need to rotate my players because it’s very difficult to play seven games in a month.
"The club is working very hard to strengthen the squad. They know very well our situation. But I repeat, I'm ready in every case to continue to work with this group of players, with the players we have."