£104M SHOCK: CHELSEA LAUNCH RECORD-BREAKING BID FOR REAL MADRID STAR FEDERICO VALVERDE
Chelsea launch a stunning £104m bid for Real Madrid's Federico Valverde. Learn how Liam Rosenior plans to rebuild the Blues' midfield.
According to Fichajes, Chelsea is planning a move for Real Madrid's Federico Valverde.
After firing Enzo Maresca, Chelsea played two Premier League games against Manchester City and Fulham under caretaker boss Calum McFarlane, but they didn't win either one.
Liam Rosenior is now the new manager, and his time began with a big 5-1 win over Carlton Athletic in the FA Cup third round last weekend.
Fichajes says that Rosenior wants to build his Chelsea team around a midfielder who can do it all, and he thinks Valverde is the perfect guy.
But Valverde’s contract runs until 2029, so Real Madrid isn't looking to sell him. They'll only let him go if they get a crazy good offer.
The player likes being with the Spanish team and isn't trying to leave right now. Still, Chelsea is ready to make an official £104m offer to try and get Real Madrid to sell him. Real Madrid might have a tough time turning down that much money, and is willing to think about the offer before deciding.
Valverde is a flexible midfielder who can play as a deep playmaker or in a box-to-box role. He can also fill in at right-back and on the right side.
Valverde has had a lot of success with Real Madrid, winning every major competition and becoming one of the world's best midfielders.
Right now, Chelsea’s midfield options include Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo, and Andrey Santos. But Lavia and Essugo have been dealing with injuries.
Because of that, Caicedo and Fernandez have been playing a lot. Valverde is in his prime and could be a huge addition for Chelsea if they can get him.
It will be interesting to see if Chelsea can get the South American to join them in January or next summer.
Chelsea will play Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg this week before playing Brentford in the Premier League next weekend.
BREAKING: LIAM ROSENIOR DOES WHAT NINE CHELSEA MANAGERS COULDN’T IN TEN YEARS
Liam Rosenior ends a decade-long curse as Chelsea smash Charlton 5-1. Discover why he’s the first since Conte to win his debut.
Liam Rosenior couldn’t have asked for a better start as Chelsea’s new manager. His team smashed Charlton Athletic 5-1 in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, and with that, Rosenior became the first Chelsea boss in ten years to win his debut match. The goals came from everywhere—Jorrel Hato, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto, and Enzo Fernandez all got on the scoresheet. It was a statement win, and Chelsea cruised into the next round.
You have to go back to Antonio Conte in August 2016 to find the last time a new Chelsea manager kicked off with a victory. Back then, Conte oversaw a 2-1 win against West Ham. In between, nine different managers, including caretakers and interims—even Frank Lampard, twice—couldn’t pull off a debut win. They managed a handful of draws and a few losses, but nobody started with three points until Rosenior.
After the match, Rosenior sounded pretty pleased with his squad’s attitude. He said, “Yeah, I was very happy with the attitude of the team, even in the first half. This isn’t an easy place to come, third round of the FA Cup. I thought our pressing was really intense and sharp. We controlled things, created chances from distance, and got a great goal from Hato at the perfect time.”
He went on, “The game opened up in the second half. We know we’ve got fantastic players. I was able to bring more quality off the bench, but honestly, I was delighted with the starting XI and especially the front three. Ale kept pushing in his one-on-ones, Marc Guiu was outstanding and really deserved his goal, and Jamie Gittens kept running at defenders. He always looked dangerous. So yeah, a lot of positives and a really good start.”
Now, Chelsea’s focus shifts to the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Arsenal on Wednesday. After that, Rosenior takes charge of his first Premier League game at Stamford Bridge against Brentford.
Talking about the big Arsenal clash, Rosenior said, “I’ve got another two days. The main thing I challenged the players on was how we react to setbacks and the intensity we show. Nothing tactical or technical—these players are top quality and have been well coached before I arrived. I was happy with the togetherness, the spirit, the way they ran, won duels, won headers—all the basics. That’s what makes the difference.”
JORREL HATO, MARC GUIU, AND ESTEVAO: CHELSEA’S WONDERKIDS SHINE IN ROSENIOR’S FIRST WINNING XI
19-year-old Jorrel Hato scored a stunner as Chelsea’s next generation proved they are ready for the big stage under Liam Rosenior.
Chelsea’s first game under Liam Rosenior wasn’t packed with big expectations—just a lot of curiosity. But by the time the crowd filed out of a sold-out Valley, things felt a lot more certain. Chelsea had put together a confident, sometimes lively 4-1 win over Charlton in the FA Cup, showing off their depth, their young talent, and a sense of quiet control from the sidelines.
Charlton, up for the challenge in front of their home fans, tried to make a game of it early on. Both Lloyd Jones and Tyreece Campbell kept Chelsea’s defence honest with a couple of hopeful shots, and for a moment, you could almost believe in an upset. But Chelsea settled in, started moving the ball around with purpose, and kept pushing Charlton further and further back.
It took five tries before Chelsea finally broke through. Just before halftime, Jorrel Hato pounced when Keenan Gough couldn’t clear the ball and smashed a half volley right into the top corner. Not a bad way for a 19-year-old to score his first goal for the club—he looked like he’d done it a hundred times before.
After the break, Chelsea shifted gears. Only five minutes into the second half, Tosin Adarabioyo doubled the lead with a smart header from Facundo Buonanotte’s deep free kick, showing Chelsea’s strength in the air.
Charlton had a couple more moments—Jones sent a header wide, and Charlie Kelman nearly scored but got blocked at the last second. Then Miles Leaburn managed to pull one back from a corner after Filip Jorgensen’s brilliant save. For a minute, the place buzzed again.
But Chelsea shut that down fast. Marc Guiu tapped in from close range to make it 3-1, and you could feel the energy just drain from the home crowd.
The last part of the match turned into a showcase for Chelsea’s squad. Enzo Fernandez, Estevao Willian, and Liam Delap all threatened, and then Pedro Neto blasted in a fourth goal during stoppage time. Fernandez wrapped things up from the penalty spot after Estevao was fouled—4-1, job done.
Cole Palmer didn’t even play; he was kept fresh for the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal. That move spoke to Rosenior’s calm planning—he didn’t look rattled by the protest songs from the stands either. He just quietly steered Chelsea into the next round.
Charlton could walk away proud for a few moments. Chelsea, though, walked away with something more solid: the start of something that feels steady and real, not just noise.