Chelsea

  • Chelsea transfer ban appeal hearing set ...

    Chelsea will have their appeal against a two-window transfer ban heard by FIFA on April 11, signalling good news for the club after being told the restriction would not be delayed until the proposal had been heard. The Premier League side were sanctioned in relation to 29 cases ...

    Chelsea transfer ban appeal hearing set for April, players told they cannot leave in summer

    Chelsea will have their appeal against a two-window transfer ban heard by FIFA on April 11, signalling good news for the club after being told the restriction would not be delayed until the proposal had been heard. The Premier League side were sanctioned in relation to 29 cases where regulations relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18 were breached. Chelsea quickly signalled their intention to appeal but were informed by FIFA the two-window ban would not be delayed while a further ruling was made. A statement said Chelsea were 'astonished' by FIFA's decision but their appeal will be heard on April 11, the governing body confirmed on Monday. “We can now confirm that the club lodged an appeal at the FIFA Appeal Committee and a hearing has been scheduled to April 11,” a FIFA spokesperson told Goal . Should the Stamford Bridge side fail in their appeal, the next step would be to run the case up the ladder to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). If the Blues are unsuccessful on all fronts, however, the future of a number of players would be up in the air. Eden Hazard is one of the Chelsea players whose future at the club could be affected by the transfer ban. The Belgium international's contract is set to expire in 2020 and the forward has regularly hinted he would like to join Real Madrid. Indeed, Goal reported earlier in March that Los Blancos had made their first initial contact with Chelsea over the Belgian's availability , with the Spanish capital side eager to rebuild after failing to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo. Hazard himself has said that Zinedine Zidane, the current Madrid boss, is his idol, and would likely prove decisive in making up the attacker's mind. However, defender Andreas Christensen, who is very much on the fringes at Stamford Bridge, has suggested Chelsea will refuse to listen to offers for players at the end of the season because of the ban. "The situation I have ended up in has been very difficult to accept," Christensen told Danish newspaper Ekstra Blade t . "The messages we have received are that Chelsea cannot appeal the case and therefore want to keep all the players."

  • Kante calms Chelsea exit rumours by igno...

    N’Golo Kante has sought to calm exit talk at Chelsea by refusing to enter into a discussion regarding supposed interest from Real Madrid. The 2018-19 campaign has been a testing one for the France international. Having helped his country to World Cup glory last summer in his fav...

    Kante calms Chelsea exit rumours by ignoring talk of Real Madrid interest

    N’Golo Kante has sought to calm exit talk at Chelsea by refusing to enter into a discussion regarding supposed interest from Real Madrid. The 2018-19 campaign has been a testing one for the France international. Having helped his country to World Cup glory last summer in his favoured holding midfield role, his position at club level has been tweaked by Blues boss Maurizio Sarri. That tinkering is considered to have contributed to Chelsea slipping to sixth in the Premier League table and to the back of the pack chasing Champions League qualification. It has also sparked rumours regarding the respective futures of Sarri and a number of his players. Kante is among those to have generated transfer speculation, with the 27-year-old still considered to be one of the finest performers on the planet when played to his strengths. That ability is said to be drawing admiring glances from Spain, with Zinedine Zidane back in Madrid and expected to embark on an elaborate spending spree this summer. The French legend may be tempted to make a move for his countryman at Stamford Bridge, but Kante insists he is paying no intention to unwelcome gossip. He told RTL : “I am at Chelsea and I still have aims here, what is said elsewhere is not important.” Kante’s commitment to the Blues cause could be tested if a formal approach from the Santiago Bernabeu were to be made. The opportunity to work under Zidane may appeal to the midfielder, but he is reluctant to speculate on what the future might hold. Quizzed on what he would do if the Blancos boss were to contact him, Kante said: “That is not important. I am at Chelsea and I am focused on that.” Kante committed to a new five-year contract with Chelsea back in November, and that deal suggests that he will be going nowhere any time soon. The west Londoners are also about to be stung with a two-window transfer ban, with it being claimed that no sales will be sanctioned by the Blues until they are back in a position to be able to bolster their ranks .

  • Christensen’s Chelsea transfer claim hin...

    Eden Hazard may remain in Real Madrid’s sights, but Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen has suggested that no sales will be sanctioned this summer as the Blues face a transfer ban. Those at Stamford Bridge have been stung with a two-window embargo by FIFA for alleged breaches o...

    Christensen’s Chelsea transfer claim hints at Hazard stay

    Eden Hazard may remain in Real Madrid’s sights, but Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen has suggested that no sales will be sanctioned this summer as the Blues face a transfer ban. Those at Stamford Bridge have been stung with a two-window embargo by FIFA for alleged breaches of regulations regarding the acquisition of players under the age of 18. An appeal was planned in west London, but world football’s governing body has declared that there will be no freezing of the sanctions while that process is ongoing. That means Chelsea face the prospect of being unable to add to their ranks until the summer of 2020. A deal for Borussia Dortmund playmaker Christian Pulisic is already in place for the end of the season, but that may be the last agreement reached for 12 months. With that in mind, Christensen has claimed that no players will be allowed to leave any time soon. The Danish defender had been hoping to see the exit door remain open as he weighs up his options amid a lack of regular playing time. The 22-year-old is, however, being made aware that he will be forced to stay put, and the same approach could be taken with Hazard – who is only under contract for a little over a year. Christensen has told Ekstra Bladet: “The situation I have ended up in has been very difficult to accept. “The messages we have received are that Chelsea cannot appeal the case and therefore want to keep all the players. “I have tried to show myself on the training track, but it is difficult because it is limited how much we train with all the matches the team is going to play. “Now I have played the matches in the Europa League and hope it will continue as long as we are in the tournament.” Christensen has made 19 appearances for Chelsea this season, but only three of those have come in the Premier League. A move elsewhere has been mooted, with the Dane admitting to having considered a new challenge elsewhere. Hazard has also been hinting at a fresh start away from Stamford Bridge, with talk of a move to Madrid never far away, but the Belgian maintains that no deal has been done.

  • Hudson-Odoi lauds influence of 'close fr...

    England debutant Callum Hudson-Odoi has lauded the influence of his friend Jadon Sancho on his career. Hudson-Odoi came on for Raheem Sterling in the 70th minute of Friday's 5-0 win over Czech Republic in a Euro 2020 qualifier and had an immediate impact, as his shot led to Chel...

    Hudson-Odoi lauds influence of 'close friend' Sancho on his career

    England debutant Callum Hudson-Odoi has lauded the influence of his friend Jadon Sancho on his career. Hudson-Odoi came on for Raheem Sterling in the 70th minute of Friday's 5-0 win over Czech Republic in a Euro 2020 qualifier and had an immediate impact, as his shot led to Chelsea loanee Tomas Kalas putting the ball into his own goal. At 18 and 135 days, Hudson-Odoi became the youngest player to make his England debut in a competitive match, beating the record set by Duncan Edwards in 1955. Hudson-Odoi has credited fellow wonderkid Sancho – who is in the midst of a stellar season at Borussia Dortmund – for helping him reach such a high level at a young age.  "We have known each other since we were very young," Hudson-Odoi said of Sancho. "We used to play against each other and we were always close friends, even when we played against each other. No matter whether it was Chelsea against Watford, where we used to play against each other. "We have always talked to each other off the pitch, called each other, speak to each other, see how the other one is doing and he has had a great season. Since I have been here with England, he has helped me from day one, always made me feel comfortable and confident. "Having a friend like that is amazing, just to bring you into the team and help yourself and be yourself. It is amazing. From [a] young [age], I have been the same. We have both been playing as we did on the street, that's just how we play. "We have been playing as we did in the park and cages. We have that raw mentality just to go at defenders. Be confident, be yourself, don't be shy in front of anyone. That's great that we have the confidence and ability to do that and you never know [what can happen]." Like Sancho, Hudson-Odoi may have the opportunity to leave a top English club for one of Germany's top sides, as Bayern Munich continue their pursuit of the Chelsea youngster. Hudson-Odoi handed in a transfer request in the January transfer window to Chelsea's director Marina Graniskovaia, after Bayern's £35 million ($46m) bid, and he has less than 18 months to run on his current contract at Stamford Bridge. That request was denied but the situation has led to increased calls for Maurizio Sarri to play Hudson-Odoi, with the Italian manager still under pressure at the club. Despite handing in that transfer demand, Hudson-Odoi denies that he has been impatient in his young career. "I am not impatient in that way," Hudson-Odoi continued. "I am always keen to play the game and love playing football, but at times you have got to remain patient and wait for your time to come. Hopefully, many more will come." England manager Gareth Southgate said that he considered starting Hudson-Odoi against the Czechs, as the Three Lions boss believes the teenager is ready for the international stage despite having yet to start a Premier League game. With a sold-out crowd of 82,575 at Wembley Stadium watching his international debut, Hudson-Odoi said that Southgate told him to play as he does for Chelsea, "He told me to go on the pitch and express yourself. To be how you are at your club, just do what you normally do," Hudson-Odoi said. "When I was about to come on I thought, 'There is no point in being nervous or shy, just do what you normally do'. "Be confident and that's what I came on and tried to do. I am delighted to have made my debut. I want to thank everybody who helped me to get where I am today. "To get the call to come onto the pitch was absolutely crazy and I am absolutely delighted. It didn't take long for Hudson-Odoi to show what he could do, as his curling effort was parried by goalkeeper Jiri Pavlenka into the path of Kalas, who deflected the ball into his own net for England's fifth goal.  "I saw an opportunity to get at the defender, it was really open and I was in a one-versus-one situation," Hudson-Odoi said of the 84th-minute goal. "I thought to myself, 'go forward'. I got the shot off, it rebounded off the defender and went in so I am delighted for that. "It is about the team's performance today, it was a great performance and that's why we got the 5-0 victory." England's Under-21 coach Aidy Boothroyd lost Hudson-Odoi to Southgate's senior squad ahead of his side's 1-1 draw against Poland. However, Boothroyd has said he is keen to consider Hudson-Odoi for this summer's U-21 Euro 2019 tournament. Hudson-Odoi says dropping down a level won't be a problem for the summer if called, having now made his senior debut before his U-21 debut. "Going up to Bristol for the Under-21s, that's initially where I was supposed to be," Hudson-Odoi said. "I was intending to stay there and be with them. When I got the call up to the first team, I just couldn't believe it. I thought, 'wow, is this serious?' "I am very happy to get the opportunity to come here and work with all the staff and these players. They are great players as well, I am enjoying every moment. I always had the same mentality whatever the age group is. "Whether it is U-18s, U-21s, first team or whatever it is, I still have the same mentality. I am not going to change because I have had one game for the first team or anything like that. I will go over there, be humble and be the same way. "I will work hard as always. If I go over there, I will be the same way as I have been and I will be confident and be myself."

  • Chelsea striker Giroud admits return to ...

    Olivier Giroud admits a return to France could be in the offing amid uncertainty over his future at Chelsea. Since signing from Arsenal in January 2018, the Frenchman has scored 15 goals in 52 appearances in all competitions for the Blues. Despite displacing Atletico Madrid ret...

    Chelsea striker Giroud admits return to France is 'a possibility' amid Lyon links

    Olivier Giroud admits a return to France could be in the offing amid uncertainty over his future at Chelsea. Since signing from Arsenal in January 2018, the Frenchman has scored 15 goals in 52 appearances in all competitions for the Blues. Despite displacing Atletico Madrid returnee Alvaro Morata, the arrival of Gonzalo Higuain on loan until the end of the season has kept the 32-year-old down the pecking order. He is out-of-contract in the summer but the likelihood that Chelsea will be unable to sign any new players due to their transfer ban could yet see the forward kept on. The uncertainty over his future has seen Giroud linked with a return to France, with Lyon recently linked with a move for the ex-Montpellier Ligue 1 title winner. Giroud has done little to play down the speculation,which Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas fueled by suggesting he would target the player if he became available. And in a fresh interview with Telefoot he concedes a second spell back in his homeland could happen. "It's a possibility," Giroud explained. "But I didn't make any calls. I'm happy in England.  "It's always a pleasure [to be linked] especially since under president Aulas, Lyon is a good club." Of Giroud's 34 Premier League outings for Chelsea, just 12 have come from the start while he is a regular in the Europa League and domestic cup competitions. A record of nine goals from as many games in the continent's second-tier club tournament gives him the slightly ignominious status as a specialist at that level, but Giroud is not concerned by appearing to be treading water in west London. "Am I afraid of being stuck? No," he added. "We will see what the future holds for me, since for the moment it is true that the club cannot recruit. "I'm definitely looking for more playing time. I aspire to find an important role in a team, now we'll see what happens." At international level, Giroud remains a key component of Didier Deschamps' France first team and scored the 34th goal for his county in the 4-1 Euro 2020 qualifying win over Moldova on Friday. Only Thierry Henry (51) and Michel Platini (41) have netted more than Giroud for Les Bleus.

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