1pm Chelsea news LIVE: Ziyech set for debut, Mendy OUT so Kepa could start, Jorginho deal, Donnarumma linked – The Sun

CHELSEA are set to face Southampton this weekend as the Premier League returns from the international break.

Meanwhile we have the very latest on Jorginho's future, while it is claimed that the Blues wanted to sign AC Milan's Gianluigi Donnarumma before opting for Edouard Mendy.

Get all the latest updates from Stamford Bridge here…

  • Jake Lambourne

    SPEAKING FRANKLY

    Frank Lampard has revealed Chelsea needed to spend this summer after being unable to replace Eden Hazard last year.

    He said: “For me we lost probably the best player in the League. We couldn’t do any business so the work we did was on the pitch last year.

    “Teams that are striving to be in and around top six and upwards were spending last year, they were spending again this summer.

    “They’ve had the opportunity with the players they bought last year to get them embedded into their teams and we’re dealing with teams above us, which is where we want to get to, where we are aspiring to get to, that have been building their squads for a long time.

    “We want to build our squad. We missed two windows and now we come back in and we’ve brought players in with a view to improve us.”

  • Jake Lambourne

    HOLLOW VIEW

    Grimsby boss Ian Holloway is fuming with Chelsea an Liverpool after the duo made enquiries over duo Louis Boyd and Ben Grist.

    Speaking to Grimsby Live, he said: “Am I surprised at that? No I’m not surprised at that. Am I fuming about it? Yeah.

    “These big wigs who want to take over football on the sly, they’ve already got rules passed that they’re category A clubs, and they can steal those lads off us very, very cheaply, because it suits them again doesn’t it?

    “Those rules were passed by who? The academy set-up is run by people who have got enough money to have all those things in place to get a tick in the box for category A.

    “They’ve all got it because they’ve all got the money, and that means they can take those boys off me. I want to play them when they’re 15 because they’re good enough, and when will they ever play for them? I’m going to have to wait and see.

    “I knew it would be a risk, but I don’t really care, because I care about those boys and I want to get them in my team, and I’ll teach them as good as any one of those clubs will, if not better in my opinion.

    “That’s what I’ll be telling their parents. Whether they listen to me I don’t know, but I can prove one thing. If you’re good enough, you’re old enough.

    “Look at my goalscorers the other night – 19, 19 and 21. They might not all be mine, but I’m telling you I’m in the game to make all these young gentlemen fantastic people first and fantastic players.

    “I can do it better than any one of those clubs, because a lot of their brilliant young lads aren’t in their team are they?”

  • Jake Lambourne

    HAVING A PARTEY

    Arsenal midfielder has revealed Chelsea legend Michael Essien is not only his idol, but the best player of all time.

    Taking part in a Q&A session, the ex-Atletico Madrid ace was asked who his hero is.

    To which he said: “Michael Essien because he is one of the best players Ghana has ever had.”

    He was then asked to name the greatest footballer ever, with Partey stating: “I would say Michael Essien, because he is my hero and he is my idol.”

  • Jake Lambourne

    JOR DROPPING

    Jorginho has spoke of his penalty miss against Liverpool earlier this season, before scoring twice from the spot in the 4-0 win against Crystal Palace.

    He said: “Me personally, when I missed it, I felt bad because you want to score to help your team but straight after the game I want to take another one because you feel bad, you feel down, and you want to make it right.

    “So you want to prove everyone wrong what they are saying about you and that was me, I want to prove that I can do it, and I think the best way is to believe in yourself, and I do.

    “I didn’t have extra nerves [when taking the first spot-kick against Palace]. It was okay because of this, because I believe in myself and I just wanted to take it.

    “I prefer to clear the head,’ he says of his general penalty-taking method, rather than focus on anything in particular.

    “That’s my way, and it is what I try to do, and it works for me I think. It is normal that sometimes thoughts pop in but I try quick to take them out.”

  • Jake Lambourne

    PUSH 'N PUL

  • Jake Lambourne

    TO BE FRANK

    Frank Lampard has revealed he has spoken to Reece James following the right-back's red card on international duty for England.

    The Blues defender was sent off after the final whistle after the 1-0 defeat against Denmark for confronting referee Jesus Gil Manzano.

    Ahead of Chelsea's clash against Southampton, Lampard said: “I did have a word with him about what happened at the end and the fact he got involved with the referee.

    “We are all human, I have been there, done it, did it as a player, maybe even as a manager – none of us are saints.

    “It will definitely be one for him to learn from – that when you have a performance at that level, playing for your country, you will get a lot of plaudits, so there was no need for him to get involved with the referee after.

    “It was a pretty simple conversation and something he will definitely take on board. Otherwise his performance was very good but I expected that, because I expect a lot from Reece.

    “He showed it when he came on against Belgium, how comfortable he was – it looked like he had been playing for a long time. The performance was really good.”

  • Jake Lambourne

    NO WAY, JOSE

    Former Chelsea gaffer Jose Mourinho has joined calls for the Premier League to rethink its pay-per-view games programme.

    This weekend sees five matches take place behind a new £14.95 price barrier, even though fans are still not allowed inside grounds.

    The decision reverses the opening up of every game to Sky Sports and BT Sports subscribers, a move which took place due to the coronavirus pandemic.

    And Mourinho has said he 'feels sorry' for fans who are once again being asked to fork out, with no other choice if they want to watch these matches.

    The Tottenham boss told reporters: “£14 is a lot of money.

    “You cannot even share with your friends as they cannot come to your house [in London].

    “It is difficult. I feel sorry for the fans.

    “But hopefully this stops quickly and we can have some people in the stadium.”

  • Jake Lambourne

    DON'T SHUFFLE THE DEC

    Declan Rice has been urged to stick around and become West Ham’s very own ‘Captain, Leader, Legend’.

    The Hammers held on to their best all-rounder in the transfer window despite growing interest from other clubs.

    Pearce, 58, believes in following your heart and not always your head to get the best out of your time as a player.

    He said: “Put it this way, I’m probably testament to that. I played my football where I enjoyed playing football and turned money down to stay where I was happy.

    “My biggest driver was probably playing for the national team. I get the same impression now with Dec — he is intensely proud of representing England.

    “He’ll make his own decisions but we are lucky at West Ham to have a current captain called Mark Noble who has been here for a number of years and has shown great loyalty to the club.

    “I like to think Dec will be at West Ham for years to come, leading the club on to success.”

  • Jake Lambourne

    BEST FRENEMIES

    Jose Mourinho has mocked Arsene Wenger's decision to axe him from his new book and claims it's because his old rival could 'never beat me'.

    The Tottenham boss does not feature at all in the former Arsenal manager's memoirs – despite the legendary battles they had over the years.

    When asked about his absence in the autobiography, the Portuguese manager told a press conference: “[It's] because he never beat me.

    “You are not going to do a chapter about 14 matches that you never win so why should he speak about me in a book.

    “A book is a thing to make you happy, make you proud. So I understand perfectly the situation.”

    While Mourinho did have by far the better head-to-head record, Wenger can boast of two wins.

    The Frenchman got his first win in the 2015 Community Shield at the start of Mourinho's disastrous season in charge of Chelsea which saw him sacked by December.

    His Arsenal then beat Mourinho's Manchester United 2-0 in the Premier League in 2017

  • John Hutchinson

    GOOD MORNING CHELSEA FANS

    Frank Lampard confirmed Edouard Mendy will miss Chelsea's game with Southampton tomorrow but refused to name Kepa as his replacement.

    The Blues' new stopper got injured on international duty with Senegal and will likely be out for two weeks.

    But Lampard remained coy on who would take his place at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

    Victor Moses has agreed a season-long loan move to Spartak Moscow.

    The Nigeria international, 29, will play for the Russians this term after failing to win over boss Frank Lampard.

    And Spartak can make the deal permanent next summer should Moses impress.

  • Jack Figg

    FRANK TALK

    Frank Lampard welcomed his England stars back to Chelsea with a dressing down.

    Three Lions rookie Reece James got a talking to for tarnishing his full debut with a sending off after the final whistle against Denmark.

    And Tammy Abraham and Ben Chilwell were reminded of their responsibilities after flouting coronavirus rules at the start of the international break.

    Abraham and Chilwell, both 23, apologised for breaking social-distancing rules when they were caught at a birthday party prior to reporting for England.

    Chelsea’s players are tested for Covid-19 twice a week and the club does their utmost to avoid cross-contamination.

    Lampard, 42, said: “We’ve lived in this bubble for quite a long time now and have to make sure we stay on point.

    “The players also have a responsibility, as do the public, to follow the rules that we are being told, albeit there isn’t always massive clarity in them but that’s not an excuse for the lads.

    “They’ve made mistakes, I’ve reminded them of their responsibilities and from the conversation, they were innocent mistakes. We move on and I expect it won’t happen again.”

  • Jack Figg

    MAN OVERBOARD

    Arsene Wenger has admitted his rivalries with Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho sometimes went “overboard”.

    Wenger, who left the North London club in 2018, told talkSPORT: “The rivalry between me and Alex. I was a foreign manager coming in and disturbing his reign and he didn’t like it. He hated to lose and I hated to lose, so at some stage it went overboard.

    “But with time, after the competition went, the relationship became better. And today it is peaceful and friendly.”

    Mourinho famously branded the Gunners chief a ‘specialist in failure’.

    Wenger, 70, admitted: “That was sometimes very personal and a little bit out of control. The problem is you go into a game and already have resentment because of what’s been said in press conferences.

    “You hate the guy on the other bench and keep control but sometimes it goes overboard.”

  • Jack Figg

    CROWN JULES

    Man Utd target Jules Kounde has tested positive for coronavirus.

    Sevilla confirmed the news on Thursday night following his return from France Under-21s duty.

    And Kounde will now miss next week’s Champions League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

    The centre-back, 21, will also be sidelined for LaLiga games against Granada and Eibar.

    But he could make his return to action in Europe against Rennes in a fortnight.

  • Jack Figg

    BACK AGAIN

    Birmingham have signed Jake Clarke-Salter on loan from Chelsea again.

    The defender spent last season on loan with the Championship club.

    And he has returned for the upcoming season.

  • Jack Figg

    ED OUT

    Frank Lampard confirmed Edouard Mendy will miss Chelsea's game with Southampton tomorrow but refused to name Kepa as his replacement.

    The Blues' new stopper got injured on international duty with Senegal and will likely be out for two weeks.

    But Lampard remained coy on who would take his place at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.

    Earlier today, Lampard said: “Mendy won't be fit for the match tomorrow. We hope it won't be too long.”

    Quickly pressed on whether Spanish outcast Kepa or alternative back-up Willy Caballero would step in, Lampard kept his cards close to his chest.

    He simply replied: “I'll make that decision myself for tomorrow.”

  • Jack Figg

    DON'S DILEMMA

    Chelsea transfer target Gianluigi Donnarumma is in talks with AC Milan and his agent Mino Raiola over a new contract, according to reports.

    After a stand-off, the 21-year-old goalkeeper is now in contact with the club for a new agreement which comes as a blow to the Blues.

    They had harboured hopes of nabbing the youngster on a free next summer, even after the signing of Edouard Mendy.

    But with Donnarumma and his notorious agent Riola now in discussion with Milan, Chelsea will have to watch on nervously to see if anything is agreed.

    Italian outlet Calcio Mercato report that the goalie does want to stay with AC Milan and is willing to extend his contract, which runs out in June 2021.

  • Jack Figg

    EUR-OH NO – EXCLUSIVE

    Football bosses are preparing to rip up the format for the Euros – and SCRAP some venues.

    Uefa privately accept there is no way that next summer’s tournament – postponed because of Covid – will be able to go ahead with the planned 12 host cities.

    A worst-case scenario could see one country stage the tournament with four venues being used. Wembley is due to stage seven games, including England’s three group matches, plus the semi-finals and final.

    The competition is sure to go ahead – owing to the millions Uefa will receive from TV companies. And the governing body is hopeful supporters will still be able to attend.

    But some venues are at risk and the tournament will have to be condensed to ensure less travelling.

    Places such as Baku in Azerbaijan – now caught in a conflict with Armenia – plus St Petersburg in Russia will be among the first to be dropped.

  • Jack Figg

    CZAR IS BORN

    Gary Neville is calling for a reboot of English football and warned: “Enough is enough.”

    The former Manchester United and England right-back is part of an eight-strong group who believe the game is running off the rails.

    This week’s dogfight over Project Big Picture has only brought home the ‘chaotic’ structure with the Prem, FA and EFL all fighting for authority.

    Sky pundit Neville, who is part-owner of League Two Salford, said only an independent, Government-appointed ‘regulator’ with the powers of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can implement a new order.

    Nev, 45, said: “The pandemic has demonstrated a void in the Premier League leadership…

  • Jack Figg

    VIC AWAY

    Victor Moses agreed a season-long loan move to Spartak Moscow.

    The Nigeria international, 29, will play for the Russians this term after failing to win over boss Frank Lampard.

    And Spartak can make the deal permanent next summer should Moses impress.

    The transfer marks his SIXTH loan spell away from Chelsea in eight years.

    Moses has featured for Liverpool, Stoke, West Ham, Fenerbahce and Inter Milan during his time at Stamford Bridge.

  • <a href='http://www.thesun.co.uk/sport' rel='external nofollow ugc' class='url'>Alex Terrell</a>

    BLUE OFF SOME STEAM

    Chelsea's players enjoyed a round of training ahead of their clash against Southampton.

    Fikayo Tomori celebrated scoring a training ground goal, as Christian Pulisic wound up for a strike of his own.

    Mason Mount looked relaxed after his outing for England against Denmark on Wednesday night.

  • <a href='http://www.thesun.co.uk/sport' rel='external nofollow ugc' class='url'>Alex Terrell</a>

    UPCOMING GAMES

    Here are Chelsea's matches this weekend and beyond.

    Should be an interesting next few weeks, that will have a huge bearing on Frank Lampard's side's season.

  • <a href='http://www.thesun.co.uk/sport' rel='external nofollow ugc' class='url'>Alex Terrell</a>

    WERN THIN

    Ralph Hasenhuttl says Southampton will do everything possible to prolong the “unhappy” start to Premier League life for his former player Timo Werner.

    Germany forward Werner is yet to register a top-flight goal in four appearances since joining Chelsea from RB Leipzig for around £47million.

    Saints boss Hasenhuttl, who takes his side to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, signed the 24-year-old for Bundesliga club Leipzig in 2016 and revealed his one-time protege is only satisfied when he finds the net.

    Hasenhuttl said: “I know this player very well. I had two fantastic years with him.

    “We brought him in from Stuttgart for small money, if you want, because we knew the game we played in Leipzig was perfect for him.

    “The first year was amazing. He scored massive goals, I think it was 24 in the first season in the Bundesliga and we were vice-champions (runners-up).

    “It was a fantastic year, we both enjoyed it a lot. I have worked with a lot of players in my entire managing career – he is definitely one of the quickest I've ever worked with.”

  • <a href='http://www.thesun.co.uk/sport' rel='external nofollow ugc' class='url'>Alex Terrell</a>

    CAN HE HAK IT?

    Hakim Ziyech is set to make his long-awaited debut for Chelsea against Southampton.

    The 27-year-old has missed the start of the season following his £37million move from Ajax.

    He has endured a stint on the sidelines after he injured his knee in a pre-season friendly against Brighton.

    But after making a full recovery, he featured in Morocco's win over Senegal last week.

    The 27-year-old returned from international duty early as he prepares for the debut.

    Ziyech will be available for the match – but it's not all good news for Frank Lampard.

  • <a href='http://www.thesun.co.uk/sport' rel='external nofollow ugc' class='url'>Alex Terrell</a>

    MORE RUDIGER

    The German told The Athletic: “Naturally, I looked at a couple of options in the two weeks before the end of the transfer window.

    “There was a possibility of a loan deal, in order for me to get more game time.

    “Due to many different reasons and the shortage of time, nothing materialised in the end.

    “The club didn’t tell me that it was absolutely necessary for me to find a new club and that they definitely didn’t have me in their plans for the next few months.

    “I also turned down one or two options myself. I wasn’t prepared to pack it all in simply because I had been left out a few times.

    “I enjoy living London and like being at Chelsea.”

  • <a href='http://www.thesun.co.uk/sport' rel='external nofollow ugc' class='url'>Alex Terrell</a>

    BATTLE ON HIS HANDS

    Antonio Rudiger is gearing up to battle his way back into Frank Lampard’s contention at Chelsea

    The Germany defender is thought to have turned his back on European giants offering him the chance to quit Stamford Bridge, according to The Athletic.

    Rudiger, 27, is yet to make a first team appearance for Chelsea so far this term and is thought to have fallen down Lampard’s pecking order.

    And last week his national team coach Joachim Low revealed the player had ‘tried everything to leave Chelsea’ before transfer deadline day.

    However this week the Blues centre-back revealed he “didn’t want to pack it all in” at Stamford Bridge, despite being dropped from the club’s starting line-up.

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