Chelsea have stepped up their bid to sign Everton and England midfielder Ross Barkley, 24, and have also enquired about England and West Ham striker Andy Carroll, 28.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5236285/Chelsea-step-Evertons-Ross-Barkley.html
Chelsea want Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone to replace Antonio Conte as head coach at the end of the season.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/chelsea-targeting-diego-simeone-as-replacement-for-antonio-conte-l6qdlrfxf
Belgium international Thibaut Courtois, 25, is close to signing a new Chelsea contract after the club offered him a deal in excess of £200,000 a week to become the best paid goalkeeper in the world.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/01/04/thibaut-courtois-close-signing-new-chelsea-contract-will-make/
Chelsea defender David Luiz, 30, is desperate to leave the club and hopes Real Madrid may be interested.
https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/900295/David-Luiz-Chelsea-Real-Madrid-Barcelona-contact
I'm not against either Barkley or Carroll tbh.
Fit and on form Barkley can be a powerhouse who would certainly give us some directness amid all the fancy stuff. Andy Carroll would have been very useful of late where I feel we've lacked the ability to 'rough them up' a bit. Both players would offer us an alternative to what we have and add a little more depth to us.
Great news regarding Tibo but not so great news if Luiz wants out.
I take Barkley and Tibo to be the most likely to happen.
My biggest concern would be over their fitness. No point in having a decent plan B in Carroll if you can’t ever use it cos he’s injured ![[sad]](../images/smilies/sad.gif)
There’s definitely something that was agreed about that Barkley move in the summer that we don’t know about. I wouldn’t buy him personally but the talent is in there somewhere...
I think both are there to add some depth to us. Only Barkley has a realistic chance of breaking in. Both players would probably be better off as 'bit part' players given their injuries. I could take Carroll as our third striker...better than the zero 3rd striker at present! Barkley I see as a cheap gamble and if he can hit a peak he's a decent player.
As others have said though, it’s the fitness that is a worry, a fit Carroll would be a very decent backup, but when is he fit?
By the same token...how many games does a 3rd striker get mate? Probably suits both parties.
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