Chelsea transfer news round-up: Blues set Eden Hazard asking price plus Gonzalo Higuain latest

The Stamford Bridge club look set to be one of the Premier League's most active in the January transfer window

Tuesday 15 January 2019 08:34 GMT
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January transfer window 2019: Premier League transfer round-up

Chelsea want at least £100m to sell star man Eden Hazard, reports the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday.

The Belgian winger will only have a year remaining on his contract when the season ends, with Real Madrid long-term suitors, but the Stamford Bridge club believe they can hold out for nine figures for Hazard, who turned 28 last week.

While the versatile forward is looking to wait until the summer to resolve his future, Chelsea would prefer to wrap it up sooner. That, of course, would necessitate Hazard signing a new contract with the club but unless the financial side of a new deal blows the Belgian's socks off then he has little incentive to give up his leverage.

While the future of their star man is the overarching transfer story to watch at Chelsea, they are expected to be one of the busiest clubs in the January transfer window.

Alvaro Morata is getting closer and closer to an exit this month, with Atletico Madrid closing in on a deal for the out-of-sorts striker.

Marca report that he is desperate enough to join Atleti that he will give up part of his salary to help secure a loan exit to play under Diego Simeone. Given Atletico were struggling to find enough money to pay Morata's full wages, this intervention from the player is likely to be enough to get the move over the line.

It will leave a hole in attack for Chelsea, though, and Maurizio Sarri hopes to fill that with former charge Gonzalo Higuain. The Argentine enjoyed a fruitful time at Napoli under Sarri and is currently on loan at AC Milan, where manager Gennaro Gattuso admitted that Higuain may not end the season.

The former Real Madrid striker took out Gattuso with a robust challenge on the Serie A club's warm-weather training camp yesterday, much to the amusement of his teammates. Juventus, his parent club, have the final say over any deal.

Callum Hudson-Odoi is still not intending to sign a new contract at Chelsea as Bayern Munich continue to pursue a £35m transfer . The Blues are annoyed with Bayern after sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic spoke publically about their interest in the 18-year-old winger but Chelsea fundamentally still have no choice but to either sell him soon for a fee or risk losing him for nothing in a year's time.

Chelsea are still on the hunt for a Cesc Fabregas replacement too.

The two players they identified as the most suitable heirs to Fabregas were Cagliari's Nicolo Barella and Leandro Paredes of Zenit St Petersburg, but 21-year-old Barella is reportedly reluctant to move in mid-season. The Mirror claim Paredes, 24, has agreed personal terms over a move with Chelsea only needing to offer £27m to Zenit to complete the deal. Owner Roman Abramovich and director Marina Granovskaia have bought more players from the Russian league since Abramovich's takeover than any other Premier League club.

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