Chelsea FC Transfer Talk: Willian, Mertens, Martinez

Chelsea FC, along with the rest of most global football, are off indefinitely, so let’s do some transfer talk instead. If there’s one thing that can survive a global pandemic, it’s transfer rumors. We start with an update on Brazilian winger Willian.

He’s out of contract at the end of this season, but he famously made the remark a few weeks ago that he would play for free, if needs be, in order to get the season completed. That drastic measure won’t be needed, but there are now multiple reports that the Premier League could return to action in June, and play matches behind closed doors.

Moving on, attacking midfielder Dries Mertens was a January transfer target that failed to launch, but it’s been reported that the Blues will once again purse 32-year-0ld Belgian international.

Gazzetta dello Sport writes of contract talks having seen some March 1 and Chelsea will come back in with a new transfer bid when the summer transfer window open

Regarding his next destination, Willian prefers to stay in the Premier League. If he really had his choice in the matter, he’d stay in London. The 31-year-old has been linked with a move to Arsenal, and a reunion with Jose Mourinho at Tottenham Hotspur.

In terms of teams abroad, Don Balon says FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are keen as well.

Elsewhere Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez is on a lot of team’s wish lists, including Chelsea. Barca, Real Madrid and Manchester City are in the running as well.

Martinez, 22, has a £97.5 million release clause, as he’s in year three of a five-year deal that he signed when he moved over for £20m from Racing Club in 2018.

His teammate, former Chelsea, Everton and Manchester United man Romelu Lukaku, definitely understands why. The big Belgian had high praise for Martinez.