Chelsea fans

Manchester City set to bid for Enzo Fernandez. 's leading target in a move driven by Enzo Maresca, as previously reported.

Chelsea will only entertain an offer if both their valuation is met and an addition is found.

Talks expected to accelerate.👕

🔗 Ben Jacobs

🗣️ Xabi Alonso on Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Fulham [A] in the Premier League:

🤝 “It feels very good, for sure.

“We know how tough it is to win any Premier League game, and any away Premier League game. We prepared for an intense game, and I feel it was a very professional, solid performance, showing maturity and managing the difficult moments.

“We got the lead quite early, had chances to score the second one, but after the equaliser we were through ten minutes when we didn’t choose the right moments to press and the movements.

“We corrected this well and in the second half, we felt comfortable without the ball, controlling the game. It was a performance to build for the future. There are things to improve for sure, but it was a good first day.

“[It’s important] to manage in difficult moments, not to lose this emotional control. We know the Premier League is fantastic because sometimes the games are out of your hands.

“You don’t control them, so the players on the pitch need to know how to manage it – it’s as important as the tactics being right. It’s a process but today we went through good moments on that and we need to carry on that.”

👏 𝐎𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐚 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐬:

“We are happy to play our first Premier League game of the season. My first official Premier League game with Chelsea felt great; in this stadium with our fans at the end, celebrating with them.

“I had the feeling before kick-off that they were excited and they were hoping to see a good performance from the team, a serious one, and one they could see that we gave everything and fought for everything. I saw happy faces in the end and it’s important to create this bond. It’s early days, first game, but a good one.”

(Via Chelsea FC)

What a sight. 😃📸

🗣️ Xabi Alonso ahead of Chelsea’s match against Fulham [A] in the Premier League:

🏥 On team news:

“Danny [Welbeck] can be involved, he just needed a couple of days not training that much because of a little thing.

“We expect him to be back [training] on Saturday. We need to go day by day, but that is the plan at the moment.

“With the other players, let’s see. We will check and assess them, but for sure because of the World Cup they came back a little bit later and will need a little more time.

But they are all available and can be selected in the line-up against Fulham, for sure.”

💪 On whether his side are ready for the new season ahead:

“We feel ready. We’ve prepared the whole pre-season these six weeks with some coming, some players from the first day, or the ones coming later. But the desire, the ambition, the hunger to start the Premier League is already in the building in each training and we’re looking forward to it.”

🤝 On whether Alonso is happy with the squad:

“I’m really happy. I think that we have made many right choices. Very good balance in terms of quality, in terms of personality, maturity, different stages of the career. We’ve got good momentum and we are in a good position I would say.”

👍 On whether there is a significant advantage with no European football this season:

“We’ll have more time to prepare each game, that’s a fact. After we need to prove that we use the time in the right way, that we have enough players in good momentum to approach each game.

“For sure we’ll have wanted it, but it is what it is and we need to use the time properly.”

💯 On whether top four is a must for a club like Chelsea this season:

“Ambition is to be as high as possible. Let’s see where we are in May, but it’s still a long way to go there. So for that you need to earn points and to win from early days and that’s our goal. Time will tell, but for sure the hunger to have success, the ambition to do well, to create good energy, good spirit within the team, that’s the first goal because that helps you be more competitive and win more games.”

(Via chelseafc & bobbyvincentfl - Football London)

🚨🔵 EXCLUSIVE: João Pedro on taking the infamous Chelsea number 9 shirt for this season:

​"I know everyone talks about the 'curse' of the number 9 here, but I don't care about that at all. I explicitly asked the board for this shirt." 9️⃣🇧🇷

​"I am completely ready for the pressure. I want the responsibility to score the goals this amazing club needs. It is an absolute honour for me, and I will deliver." ✨🔥

in 2023, Romeo joined the Blues! 🔵

🚨 Fulham vs. Chelsea match official team:

▪︎ Referee: John Brooks.
▪︎ Assistants: Adam Nunn, Dan Cook.
▪︎ Fourth official: Paul Tierney.
▪︎ VAR: Darren England.
▪︎ Assistant VAR: Adrian Holmes.

🚨 CHELSEA’S FC 27 RATINGS HAVE DROPPED! 😳💙

🥇 Highest rating: 86

🔵Fernandez—86
🔵Caicedo—86
🔥 Palmer — 85
⚡ Rogers — 84
🇧🇷 João Pedro — 83