CHELSEA FC – Football Flame

5Aug

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Conor Gallagher to leave Chelsea to join Atletico Madrid

After several days of intense speculation over his future, Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher has accepted a proposal from Atletico Madrid. He is due to fly to the Spanish capital to complete his move on Monday.The 24-year-old England international has rejected multiple contract offers from Chelsea to extend his deal beyond next summer, while the Blues have encouraged him to take the €40m deal on the table from Atletico. Their motive was to avoid him leaving either on a free, or joining Premier League rivals to Aston Villa or Tottenham Hotspur.Gallagher had been given until the end of the week to make his decision, and Atletico had even worked out a deal for Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra in case their move for the Chelsea midfielder collapsed. It seems Guerra will now be back on ...

26Apr

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CHELSEA FC, NEWS, Romelu Lukaku, UCL

Romelu Lukaku “will be given the opportunity to stay at Chelsea”

Romelu Lukaku of FC Internazionale during the Serie A match between US Salernitana and FC Internazionale at Stadio Arechi on April 7, 2023 in Salerno, Italy. Romelu Lukaku will reportedly be offered the opportunity to remain at Chelsea during the summer transfer window. Despite scoring 15 goals from 44 appearances during his first year back at Stamford Bridge, it was widely perceived that his £97.5m return to the club had been a failure. As a result, the Belgium international was allowed to immediately reunite with Inter, where he struggled to make an impact during the first half of 2022-23. Inter Milan CEO Giuseppe Marotta even hinted that Lukaku would definitely return to Chelsea on the back of his poor form, but the 29-year-old has since improved in recent weeks. Backing up h...

19Apr

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CHELSEA FC, Real Madrid, UCL

Chelsea exit Champions League as Real finish job

Toni Kroos of Real Madrid holds off the challenge from N'Golo Kante of Chelsea during the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge on April 18, 2023 in London, United Kingdom.Chelsea’s hopes of salvaging success from a season of abject mediocrity were ended ruthlessly by Real Madrid as the holders advanced into the Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge. The Blues were always battling against the odds to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg in the Bernabeu and their cause was not helped by a familiar failing as a battling performance was undermined by missing a succession of clear chances. N’Golo Kante missed a glorious first-half opening while Marc Cucurella was blocked by former Chelsea keeper Thibau...

18Apr

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CHELSEA FC, Julian Nagelsmann, PREMIER LEAGUE, UCL

Chelsea hold talks with ex-Bayern boss Nagelsmann

Former Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann arrives in his car at the headquarters of German first division Bundesliga football club FC Bayern Munich in Munich, southern Germany, on March 24, 2023. Chelsea have held talks with Julian Nagelsmann as part of their search for a new manager. The German was sacked by Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in March after less than two years in charge. Football Flame understands Chelsea do not yet have a preferred option to replace Graham Potter, who was sacked in April. Despite holding talks with Nagelsmann, 35, the process to find a new manager is ongoing – with Luis Enrique also reportedly of interest to Chelsea. Potter left Stamford Bridge less than seven months after leaving Brighton & Hove Albion to replace Thomas Tuchel. Nagelsm...

13Apr

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Champions League, CHELSEA FC, Karim Benzema, Real Madrid

Ten-man Chelsea lose first leg away to Real Madrid

Karim Benzema of Real Madrid competes with Thiago Silva of Chelsea during the UEFA Champions League Quarterfinal first leg match between Real Madrid and Chelsea FC at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 12, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. Chelsea have it all to do if they are to advance to the Champions League semi-finals after losing to holders Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Karim Benzema’s tap-in – his 90th goal in the competition – gave Real boss Carlo Ancelotti the perfect start against his former club. Real Madrid struggled to add to their lead before Ben Chilwell was shown a straight red card in the 59th minute for fouling Rodrygo as the Brazil forward threatened to go clean through on goal. Chelsea produced a battling performance but Real scored what could be a decisive second goal when s...

6Apr

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CHELSEA FC, Frank Lampard, PREMIER LEAGUE

Frank Lampard named Chelsea manager for rest of season

Caretaker Manager Frank Lampard of Chelsea during a training session at Chelsea Training Ground on April 6, 2023 in Cobham, England. Frank Lampard says he will "focus on the job in hand" after being named Chelsea's caretaker manager, rather than trying to land the role full-time.Lampard has completed a surprise return to Chelsea for the rest of the season, replacing the sacked Graham Potter.The club say Lampard will take charge while they carry out an "exhaustive process" to find a permanent boss."I want to do the best possible role I can and after that we will see what happens," the 44-year-old said."I am not getting anywhere ahead of myself."Lampard, who has been out of a job since he was dismissed by Everton in January, previously managed Chelsea from Jul...

23Mar

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CHELSEA FC, Romelu Lukaku, TRANSFERS

Chelsea ‘resigned to losing Romelu Lukaku for cut-price fee’

Romelu Lukaku of FC Internazionale in action during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on March 19, 2023 in Milan, Italy.Chelsea are reportedly resigned to having to sell Romelu Lukaku for a cut-price fee in one of the future transfer windows. In August 2021, the Blues completed the club-record addition of Lukaku from Inter Milan fee in a £97.5m deal, the belief being that they had found a long-term solution down the middle of their attack. However, despite scoring 15 goals from 44 appearances in all competitions, the Belgium international never settled under Thomas Tuchel and was allowed to return to Inter on a loan deal. At the time of his return, it was anticipated that a second temporary spell or permanent switch would follow,...

11Mar

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CHELSEA FC, Kai Havertz, PREMIER LEAGUE

Chelsea win again as Leicester concerns increase

Havertz of Chelsea celebrates after scoring to make it 1-2 during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Chelsea FC at King Power Stadium on March 11, 2023 in Leicester, United Kingdom.Chelsea’s mini-revival continued with a third victory in a row as they consigned struggling Leicester City to a fifth consecutive defeat. Buoyed by their Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea started brightly and Ben Chilwell volleyed in from a tight angle against his old club. Chelsea’s Joao Felix and Leicester’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall hit the woodwork in the space of two minutes, then Felix had a goal ruled out by the video assistant referee for offside. Patson Daka rifled home an excellent equaliser after Ricardo Pereira won the ball off the dawdling Felix outside the box....

7Mar

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Champions League, CHELSEA FC

Chelsea reach Champions League quarter-finals

Raheem Sterling of Chelsea FC celebrates after scoring his team's first goal with teammates during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 leg two match between Chelsea FC and Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge on March 7, 2023 in London, United Kingdom.Graham Potter enjoyed his finest night as Chelsea manager as they overcame a first-leg deficit against Borussia Dortmund to reach the Champions League quarter-finals. Potter was under huge pressure after a dismal run of results following Chelsea’s huge outlay in the transfer market, but he will hope the manner of this performance and the advance into the latter stages of Europe’s elite competition will deliver a measure of calm and stability to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea fully deserved their win, although they squandered several big opportuni...

4Mar

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CHELSEA FC, PREMIER LEAGUE, Welsey Fofana

Chelsea beat Leeds to ease pressure on Potter

Wesley Fofana of Chelsea celebrates his goal with team mates during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Leeds United at Stamford Bridge on March 4, 2023 in London, United Kingdom.Welsey Fofana scored his first Premier League goal for Chelsea as the Blues beat Leeds to ease the pressure on manager Graham Potter. After a run of just one win in their past 15 games, there was a sense that three points were a must for Potter, despite insisting he retained the support of the club’s owners before the game. The Blues made a blistering start and could have been 3-0 up inside 30 minutes. Kai Havertz was one-on-one with Leeds keeper Illan Meslier, while Joao Felix smashed a shot from distance against the crossbar before Ben Chilwell prodded wide from an excellent position. After tha...