Chelsea Finalises Rogers Deal, Pursues Lacroix and Free Agent Stones
Blues secure key signing, engage in defensive talks, and eye experienced England international for squad overhaul.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Carla Rooney
Chelsea has reached a verbal agreement to sign Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117 million, while simultaneously pursuing defensive reinforcements including Maxence Lacroix and free agent John Stones.
The club's strategy integrates new talent under manager Xabi Alonso as he reshapes the squad.
Chelsea engages in advanced discussions with Crystal Palace for Maxence Lacroix, with a potential fee reaching £55 million.
Confidence builds for a Lacroix deal, despite the proposed fee exceeding Chelsea's initial valuation, as the player remains open to departing Selhurst Park.
Lacroix remains a key target for Chelsea; ongoing discussions aim for a swift agreement.
Beyond these negotiations, the club also expresses keen interest in John Stones, now a free agent after his contract at Manchester City expired.
This interest in Stones reflects Chelsea's mission to add more 'ready-made' players, bringing leadership and Premier League know-how to their ranks.
Historically, Chelsea balanced youth development with experienced acquisitions, a pattern evident in past signings like Thiago Silva.
The pursuit of Stones, an England international who started in the World Cup semi-final against Argentina, highlights this dual approach.
A deal could offer Stones a blend of competitive football and a platform to begin his coaching journey, a strong desire he expressed.
His availability also alerted Arsenal, who consider a move amid concerns over William Saliba's potential long-term injury, facing up to five months on the sidelines.
Arsenal holds a slight edge in the race for Stones, viewing the versatile center-back as ideal short-term cover.
Stones favors a move to a city where he can settle long-term and explore opportunities beyond playing, including developing his coaching credentials.
Nevertheless, Chelsea remains firmly in contention, adding Stones to their center-back shortlist as a low-cost option fitting their recruitment strategy.
Other stakeholders, including Everton, could leverage his previous ties to offer regular starts, while Juventus actively pushes for a move to Italy.
Meanwhile, the club recently had an £8 million bid for Granit Xhaka turned down by Sunderland, despite Xhaka's initial openness to a move to Stamford Bridge.
He later confirmed his desire to stay at the Stadium of Light, demonstrating the complexities of securing targets in a competitive market.
This occurs despite the 22-year-old turning down their latest contract offer, with interest from multiple 'big six' clubs, including Chelsea and Arsenal.
Bournemouth rebuffed an enquiry for Alex Scott, planning on Scott being part of Marco Rose's team next term.
On the youth front, Chelsea maintains that Josh Acheampong is not for sale, even as sources close to Acheampong believe he is ready for first-team action.
The club also seeks to add another central midfielder, with Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace a long-term interest; a deal for him is expected to be around the £100 million-mark.
As the club prepares to fly to Sydney, Australia, for their pre-season tour, they await the return of World Cup representatives from their three-week breaks, marking the next phase of their preparations.
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