Update: Mourinho, Chelsea have officially returned Filipe Luis to Atletico Madrid
It’s time for Chelsea’s summer transfer window to heat up. Yes, you can expect them to mainly stand pat with what they have; given that it’s the winning hand, but there will be some roster changes. Chelsea brought in Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to replace the departed Petr Cech, but otherwise not much has happened this offseason at Stamford Bridge.
We could see more activity soon as Chelsea Manager Jose Mourinho has indicated that left back Filipe Luis and Winger Mohammed Salah are free to leave, as they won’t have opportunities for first team football with the Blues.
“If they want him back then they have to pay and we have to discuss the offer,” Mourinho told reporters when asked about Luis. “Then we have to react and we have to go in the market.”
“I see Salah’s future elsewhere, either as a loan or an offer that we are happy to accept. At the moment, with Hazard and Willian, Traore, Moses and Cuadrado, we have five players for these positions. It is better not to have so many.”
Luis was signed from Atletico Madrid just last year for €22.7 million, but he could be set to return should The Special One have his price point met. That selling price has rumored to be in the neighborhood of £14.25 million. It’s interesting that Mourinho brought up the unsettled winger Juan Cuadrado.
Like Luis, he’s also been at Chelsea for just one year, but might be on the move soon. The Blues manager mentioned Cuadrado in his plans, but the Guardian reports that Chelsea are willing to part ways with him; provided a new team meets the £26.1 million amount that Chelsea paid for him. Among the rumored potential suitors is Atletico Madrid. So maybe the two sides can work out some sort of package deal?
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous sports talk radio stations all across the country.
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