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Barcelona are frontrunners to sign Athletic Bilbao and Spain winger Nico Williams, with Arsenal and Chelsea at risk of missing out on the 21-year-old. (Football Insider), external
However, Blues defender Marc Cucurella, 25, says he is trying to convince Spain team-mate Williams to move to Stamford Bridge, with the pair in their country's squad at Euro 2024. (Sport – in Spanish), external
Romelu Lukaku, 31, wants to reunite with Napoli boss Antonio Conte, who coached the Belgium forward at Inter Milan. (Corriere dello Sport – in Italian), external
Meanwhile, Napoli have told Chelsea they are willing to lower their £110.8m asking price for 25-year-old Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen. (Metro), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter
Arsenal are set to poach masseur Manoel Marcelo Ribeiro from rivals Chelsea.
Ribeiro, who is known as Manny, is a visible presence around the first-team squad at matches and on the training ground.
He joined Chelsea in 2009 having previously had spells at Fulham and West Ham.
The move comes just 24 hours after the shock news long-serving Chelsea academy directors Neil Bath and Jim Fraser were departing the club.
Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist
The Premier League profit and sustainability gods giveth and the Premier League profit and sustainability gods taketh away.
The £30m Chelsea have paid Leicester – who had to sell to meet these rules – for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall seems reasonable for a Championship player of the year nominee who shone in a title-winning side. Especially as he did so under new Blues boss Enzo Maresca.
But this is modern football. As shown by the Your Views post below on this page, the question for fans has become what this means for hometown hero Conor Gallagher who operates in a similar position and role.
After all, Chelsea's midfield options are bountiful: Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Lesley Ugochuckwu, Carney Chukwuemeka, Romeo Lavia, Cesare Casadei, Andrey Santos, Gallagher and now Dewsbury-Hall.
Caicedo and Fernandez are both £100m-plus investments, Ugochukwu, Chukwuemeka and Lavia are looking to bounce back from injury-hit first seasons at the club, and Casadei and Santos are returning from loans and both likely to leave temporarily again.
The only one of those likely to leave for a significant fee this summer is Gallagher, who as an academy product would go down as 'pure profit' on the balance sheet. With speculation rife, the 24-year-old has had to say he is focusing on England duty.
Gallagher enjoyed his best campaign so far for Chelsea in a chaotic season under Mauricio Pochettino, missing just one Premier League match, endearing himself to supporters during a challenging period, and earning his England call-up.
But who is more effective?
From an attacking perspective, last season Dewsbury-Hall averaged more goals, assists, shot-creating actions, progressive passes and carries, successful take-ons, and touches in the opposition penalty area. Albeit, that was in the Championship.
However, when he played in the Premier League in 2022-23, Dewsbury-Hall still averaged more progressive passes, progressive carries and successful take-ons than Gallagher, despite playing in a relegated side.
He was also only narrowly behind his new team-mate for touches in the opposition penalty area and shot-creating actions – impressive when you consider he played in a team that had to do far more defending than Chelsea.
In defensive metrics, Gallagher outscored Dewsbury-Hall over both seasons, including for tackles won, interceptions and blocks, showcasing his more combative side.
It would be too reductive to say Gallagher makes the defence stronger and Dewsbury-Hall the attack, but the numbers do edge down that path.
What they also suggest is that if the new man does oust the academy graduate, it will be an unpopular decision, but not an inexplicable one.
*Stats provided by Opta
Chelsea forward Cole Palmer says he would put himself forward to take a penalty for England if Saturday's Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland goes to a shoot-out.
That is no surprise given the 22-year-old scored all 10 of his penalties for Blues last season.
His first international goal was also a spot-kick in June's friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"I think I would be nominated if I was on the pitch," the 22-year-old told BBC Radio 5 Live. "But I probably will not have the choice.
"I have already taken two penalties in shootouts. I missed one but that was in a Youth Cup and I was a baby. The other I scored against Newcastle last season."
Palmer says "there are so many differences" between taking a penalty in a match and one in a shoot-out, with pressure being the main difference.
"When the final whistle goes to take it to a shootout, you know you are taking that penalty and you have to stand there and wait for the coin toss and for everyone else to take theirs. The pressure builds up.
"If you miss one in a game, then you still have time to make up for it by scoring, but if you miss in a shootout then that is it and there is no chance to redeem yourself.
"I try not to be affected by the increase in pressure, but it is natural and everyone will feel it more than taking a normal one."
Listen to the Football Daily Euro Leagues podcast on BBC Sounds
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter
The breaking news of academy directors Neil Bath and Jim Fraser’s imminent departures has sent shockwaves throughout Cobham.
They are part of the furniture at Chelsea and are broadly credited with launching the careers of countless players either at Stamford Bridge or beyond.
Their work is also respected externally within football from players, agents and at rival clubs.
Chelsea understands their legacy, the concern felt by supporters about the exits and the club plan to show their gratitude.
But some may stay frustrated that the sheer pace of change in west London is counterproductive, even if well-intentioned.
Chelsea’s academy directors Neil Bath (above) and Jim Fraser, who are widely credited with building the club’s successful youth programme, are set to leave the club.
Bath, 58, has been academy manager since 2004 and Fraser joined shortly after to help build the modern Cobham training facility, which is regarded in the football industry as among the best in the Europe.
Their leadership helped Chelsea produce a host of academy graduates, including captain Reece James, Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah and recently departed stars like Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Their legacy will be celebrated by Chelsea after an official announcement is made in the coming days.
Chelsea had already begun making changes to the academy with the pair in post but will continue further modernising their approach in a bid to stay ahead of rivals.
A new management structure is expected to be put in place while tendering has begun to revamp the academy buildings, amid further investment since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital bought the club from Roman Abramovich in 2022.
Arsenal have had a 47m euro (£39.8m) offer for defender Riccardo Calafiori rejected by Bologna, who want at least 50m euros (£42.3m) for the Italy international. Chelsea are also interested in the 22-year-old. (Corriere dello Sport – in Italian), external
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, 25, is expected to be involved pre-season next week amid interest from Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal for the Nigeria international. (Football Italia), external
The Blues are keen on Nottingham Forest defender Murillo but deem the 21-year-old Brazilian's £60m-plus price tag as too high. (Football London), external
Finally, midfielder Conor Gallagher would be "reluctant" to relocate to the Midlands to join Aston Villa as the 24-year-old waits on a potential new Blues deal. (Telegraph – subscription required), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter
Defender Tosin Adarabioyo was among the players to arrive back a week early for pre-season training at Chelsea.
The formal start date is 8 July but the free transfer signing from Fulham was with the likes of Ben Chilwell and Trevoh Chalobah at the club's Cobham training base.
New boss Enzo Maresca also started work on Monday but the sessions are believed to be informal fitness work as he settles into the new job.
We asked for your views on the signing of midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall who has completed a £30m move from Leicester City.
Here are some of your responses:
Paddy: You know what, I think I’m pretty happy with it. We need cover in the midfield, he looked a good player when Leicester went down, and then did well under our new coach getting them promoted.
Mike: Another midfielder – just what we've been short of. Maybe we could sell another midfielder to make space for him! I mean, it's not like we're short of strikers or anything…
Taylor: Before last season I may have not been too familiar with KDH, however watching how he plays and even when he played against us in the FA Cup, I'm excited. He is an upgrade on Gallagher who we can now sell for pure profit. He will provide an attacking option with vision alongside Enzo and Moises. Exciting times.
Keith: Good signing, solid box-to-box midfielder. Just hope he's not a replacement for Conor Gallagher though, we must keep him!
Tony: Underwhelming signing. We have many better players in the squad who play in the same position. Another Danny Drinkwater?
Brett: KDH has the potential to flourish under Maresca again and with much better players around him, we could see him fully unlocked. Not the marquee signing we were hoping for but has the potential to be one we look back on as a great bit of business.
Mark: If our American owners think by making this signing they can now rake in some pure profit by selling Conor Gallagher they are deluded. Regardless of familiarity with Maresca, this would be a downgrade on Conor who is born Chelsea.
Simon: Good player, good price and excellent that he's joining up with Maresca. However, another midfielder? Where does he play? Instead of who? We really need a serious clearout or the malcontent among the squad is going to be palpable.
Chelsea have agreed a £14m fee with Boca Juniors for 19-year-old Argentine defender Aaron Anselmino. (Football.London, external)
Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has had a strange summer. The 25-year-old has gone from being the star player in Leicester City's Championship title-winning team that earned Premier League promotion to being sold.
The Premier League's profit and sustainability rules have forced the Foxes' hand, despite Dewsbury-Hall being happy to remain at his boyhood club.
Brighton tried in January and during the summer to sign Dewsbury-Hall but a quick reunion with his former manager Enzo Maresca at Chelsea proved too difficult to turn down.
But that is not to say signing Dewsbury-Hall was the Italian's decision.
Sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart believed he would be a good addition to the Blues' midfield options, providing perhaps more goal threat than the likes of Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher and Romeo Lavia.
Gallagher's future also remains in some doubt, with less than a year left to run on his current contract and no sign of a renewal in the near future.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall says it is a "privilege" to sign for Chelsea after completing his move from Leicester City.
The 25-year-old has signed a five-year deal with the Blues, which includes an additional one-year option.
The midfielder came through the Foxes academy and made his senior debut in an FA Cup tie against Brentford in January 2020.
Following spells away on loan he has since made 129 appearances across all competitions for the east Midlands side, scoring 17 goals and making 20 assists.
Dewsbury-Hall will now have the opportunity to link up again with his former boss Enzo Maresca, under whom he was a key figure in Leicester's Championship-winning team last season.
"It is amazing to be sitting here as a Chelsea player," he told club media.
"This is a club people grow up watching and hoping to one day play for, so it is a privilege to be here.
"I'm really excited to get going and can't wait to show everybody what I can do."
On the latest episode of BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, The Athletic's Rob Tanner was asked if he thinks Chelsea's new signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall can make the step up from Leicester to Stamford Bridge:
"Yes, I do. I think he's coachable and mouldable, which is a big thing for Enzo [Maresca].
"He can take in information. He's the sort of character who, if you show him something on a board or in video analysis, he can carry out that instruction. I think that's what Enzo wants – characters who will embrace what he's trying to do.
"He's going to try to do what he did at Leicester at Chelsea so he needs people who are going to absorb that information very quickly. Having Kiernan in, he knows what he is straight away and he can pass on information to his other team-mates.
"He has the ability to step up – the way he finds pockets of space, he turns and runs at people, his goals and assists.
"I know some Chelsea fans aren't ecstatic at the news, but if you give him a chance he will deliver."
Listen to more chat about Dewsbury-Hall here
So, Chelsea have completed their £30m move for midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City.
The 25-year-old has signed a six-year deal with the Blues to link up with former boss Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge.
How do you feel about the new signing, Chelsea fans? A good deal? Or not the player the team needed?
Have your say here, external
Cole Palmer was one of England's form players coming into Euro 2024 having enjoyed a stellar campaign with Chelsea.
He scored 22 times in last season's Premier League and his 11 assists meant he had 33 goal involvements in 34 appearances in the competition.
The 22-year-old has, though, featured sporadically for the Three Lions in the tournament, with just two appearances and a grand total of 73 minutes.
Alan Shearer would "definitely bring Palmer in" against Switzerland in the quarter-finals, while fellow former England captain Gary Lineker believes the playmaker has shown the kind of "swagger" to thrive on the big stage.
For ex-Three Lions midfielder Danny Murphy, he is the "one England player who is taking the most risks" during what many have considered a rather conservative approach from manager Gareth Southgate.
"He is the bravest on the ball, as if to say: 'I don’t mind trying things and if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen,'" said Murphy.
"Some of the other England players are overthinking things. Cole Palmer isn't and that is the way he has played all season.
"He has to start the next game. For some of the players coming in, there is no pressure."
Read more on what is next for England and pick your starting XI
Newcastle United are determined to keep Sweden striker Alexander Isak amid reports linking the 24-year-old with a move to Chelsea or Arsenal. (Football London), external
Manchester City have beaten Arsenal to Chelsea's 16-year-old English midfielder Ryan McAidoo. (Mirror), external
Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column
Chelsea have signed striker Marc Guiu from Barcelona on a five-year-deal.
An agreement for the 18-year-old was reached in April and he will join the first team ahead of the pre-season.
Guiu graduated from Barcelona's famous La Masia academy scored just 23 seconds into debut against Athletic Bilbao in 2023.
"It's an immense joy to sign for Chelsea and I struggled to sleep ahead of the journey here because I was so excited," the the Spain Under-19 international told the club website, external.
"Ever since I was small, it was my dream to play in the Premier League. Now I have the opportunity to come here to Chelsea and I will work my hardest to be successful for the club."
Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter
Chelsea midfielder Leo Castledine has been made available for loan.
The 18-year-old made his senior debut under Mauricio Pochettino last season and is regarded as arguably the best in his age group at Stamford Bridge, earning a nomination for Premier League 2 Player of the Season after scoring 10 goals and getting nine assists in 18 matches.
The Blues are keen to further Castledine's development by sending him out on loan and are hopeful of completing a deal to a mid or lower table Championship club, or one of the strong clubs in League One.
They are unwilling to entertain permanent offers for Castledine, who is a boyhood Chelsea fan and has been with the club since signing from AFC Wimbledon aged 14, having successfully renewed his contract until 2027 in December.
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