All of Saturday’s biggest Chelsea news and transfer rumours.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has asked owner Roman Abramovich not to sell any of his title-winning squad including goalkeeper Petr Cech, 32, who he wants to keep even against his will, the Daily Mirror reports.
Mourinho has previously stated that he would rather send Cech overseas rather than let him join another Premier League side.
Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann, 24, is open to a summer move to Chelsea and is keen to find out whether the Premier League champions will make a serious bid to sign him, The Telegraph reports.
Griezmann has a £43million release clause installed in his contract, which the Blues would have no problem in meeting.
Chelsea and Liverpool are both interested in signing veteran Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo, 35, who has a year left on his contract and hinted he could leave the Italian champions, according to Tuttosport (in Italian).
Pirlo has long been admired by a host of Premier League clubs, but a move to the UK has never materialised.
Chelsea will turn to Everton defender John Stones, 20, if they cannot persuade 22-year-old Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane to quit the Bernabeu this summer, the London Evening Standard reports.
Mourinho is keen on a reunion with the young France international, but it aware that Real may not open to negotiating.
Jose Mourinho has called Steven Gerrard one of his “favourite enemies” and says that the Liverpool captain has helped make him the manager he is, the Daily Express.
Chelsea and Liverpool meet again this weekend, in what will be Gerrard’s last big clash in the Premier League.
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