Timo Werner equals Eden Hazard record, Blues to splash out €70m transfer fee for La Liga star, as Atletico Madrid wants Blues star
Timo Werner equals Eden Hazard record
Timo Werner may not always get on the scoresheet, but his impact in a game is always felt.
The 25-year-old didn’t score again this weekend as Chelsea defeated Fulham 2-0, but he provided a very fine assist for Kai Havertz’s second goal as Chelsea got a 2-0 victory over close neighbours Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
Werner has now registered his 10th assist across all competitions for Chelsea this season, which means he is now in double figures for both goals and assists so far this season. The last Chelsea player to manage that feat in their debut season at Stamford Bridge was Eden Hazard in the 2012-13 campaign.
Werner has now bagged 11 goals and 10 assists this season, but is still short on Eden Hazard’s 13 goals and 24 assists in his debut season after joining from Lille.
Werner might be missing the chances, but his overall contribution to the team cannot be taken for granted.
Chelsea ready to shell out €70m transfer fee for La Liga star
Chelsea are prepared to meet Real Madrid’s €70 million asking price for Raphael Varane this summer’s transfer market, according to the latest reports from Spain.
He is about to enter the final year of his deal with the Spanish giants with the Frenchman currently reluctant to extend his stay at the club.
Real Madrid aren’t willing to let the defender run down his current deal and are interested in avoiding a long-running saga over the summer with the club resigned to losing the player at the end of the season.
Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United are among the clubs interested in landing Varane but according to Mundo Deportivo, the Blues are now leading the hunt to sign him, at the request of manager Thomas Tuchel.
The report also states Chelsea are willing to pay Real Madrid’s €70 million asking price for the World Cup winner.
Last week, Real supremo Florentino Perez opened the door for the former Lens ace’s exit.
Madrid could lose Sergio Ramos in the summer but Perez appears in no mood to allow Raphael to hold the club to ransom and he confirmed on Spanish radio that the club hero can leave if he wants.
‘Varane? I’m happy with our team… if players don’t want to stay at Madrid they can leave,’ said Florentino.
Chelsea captain appears on Atletico Madrid summer radar
Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta has emerged as a defensive transfer target for La Liga giants Atletico Madrid, according to a recent report from Spanish publication El Gol Digital.
The start of the 2020/21 season saw Azpilicueta fall behind youngster Reece James in the pecking order for the right-back position.
However, since the appointment of the German manager Thomas Tuchel in January, the 31-year-old club captain has been a permanent fixture in the starting eleven, slotting in as the right-sided centre-half in the three-man defensive unit for Chelsea.
Along with Cesar, Chelsea also have the likes of Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, Kurt Zouma and Thiago Silva at their disposal.
Nevertheless, Thomas is intent on securing the transfer of another centre-back in the summer, with Bayern Munich man Niklas Sule said to be at the top of his shortlist.
Should the German star arrive, one of the current centre-halves could become surplus to requirements at the club and Atletico Madrid are hoping to make the most of such a situation by launching a move for Azpilicueta.
Los Rojiblancos are interested in securing a new central defender as uncertainty looms around the future of Jose Maria Gimenez.
Atletico strongly expect the Uruguay international to be on the move at the end of the season in spite of having set a €60 million valuation for him.
And, Diego Simeone’s team are hoping to replace him with Cesar, who as per the report could cost somewhere around the €17m mark.