Chelsea have contacted Bayern Munich over a potential move for striker Matthijs Tall.
The France Under-21 international was of interest to Chelsea last summer and a move could be made this month. The club will make an offer if it receives any encouragement from Bayern that a deal can be reached.
Chelsea have not discussed offering players in the opposite direction but Christopher Nkunku is understood to be a target for Bayern. Nkunku is Chelsea’s top scorer with 13 goals in all competitions but has struggled for regular opportunities in the Premier League this season. Paris Saint-Germain and at least one other club are understood to be tracking Nkunku, who joined Chelsea for £52m 18 months ago.
Till mostly plays on the left flank and has not scored a single goal this season. However, the Bayern striker has great potential, scoring seven goals last season. Till joined Bayern from Reims in 2022. Chelsea also have a long-term interest in Ipswich striker Liam Delap.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are asking for more than £20m to sell Renato Vega, who is wanted by Dortmund on loan with an option to buy. Vega, who can play at left-back, centre-back or in central midfield, is keen for a new challenge despite joining Chelsea for £12m from Basel last summer. The 21-year-old, who has reportedly agreed terms with Dortmund, has made seven Premier League appearances.
Vega’s desire to leave is believed to be due to his desire to find regular football and secure a place in Portugal’s 2026 World Cup squad. Chelsea do not want to let him out on loan and insist they will only consider a permanent deal. The club could make a profit if Vega, who has also been linked with Napoli, is sold.
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca acknowledged Vega’s condition before Tuesday’s match at home to Bournemouth. Maresca excluded the young player from the team’s squad for last month’s league match against Fulham for “technical reasons.” He started at left-back as Chelsea beat Morecambe 5-0 in the FA Cup on Saturday and has been a regular in the Europa Conference League.
Chelsea are open to sales and could also allow midfielders Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Karne Chukwuemeka to leave. Dewsbury-Hall joined from Leicester last summer and has interest from West Ham. Chukwuemeka has a £40m release clause, but Chelsea have opened the door to a loan, with Dortmund their likely destination. Monaco have inquired about the midfielder and Milan are pursuing him but Chukwuemeka has no interest in a move to Strasbourg, Chelsea’s sister club.
Money raised through sales could help Chelsea finance a deal for a centre-back, with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi in their sights. Axel Disasi is another player who could leave, with the defender not being in Maresca’s long-term plans.
Aston Villa They made a deal with Dortmund To sign striker Donyell Malen in a deal worth an initial £20m. Unai Emery is set to make the Dutchman, a long-time target, his first signing of the year. Dortmund announced Malen will miss Tuesday’s Bundesliga trip to Holstein Kiel to hold “talks with another club”.
Emery admires strikers who can play in multiple positions, and Malen, who has 41 caps for the Netherlands, will bolster his attacking line that includes Ollie Watkins, John Doran, Morgan Rogers and Leon Bailey. Malen scored five goals in 21 matches for Dortmund this season.
Emery was drawn to Rogers, as he discovered after arriving from Middlesbrough last January in a £15m deal, partly because of his versatility. Malen was an influential part of the Dortmund side that reached the Champions League final last season, in which Villa’s newly signed Ian Maatsen also played.
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Villa is planning to conclude more signings, with another priority target for Celta Vigo full-back Oscar Mingueza. Villa’s head of football operations, Monchi, was in Spain last week to watch the 25-year-old defender. The Spain international will provide competition for Matty Cash and potentially allow Kosta Nedeljkovic to leave on loan.
Villa could face a difficult decision regarding Duran if top European players such as Paris Saint-Germain show interest in the Colombian striker. Duran will receive a hefty fee after scoring 12 goals in 26 games this season.
Villa winger Jayden Villeugen, who returned in the summer from Hull, is likely to leave this month, with Ipswich the favorites to sign him. Diego Carlos, one of the club’s high earners, is in talks about a move to Fenerbahce. Offloading Carlos would help Villa comply with PSR regulations.
West Ham I added Nottingham ForestTaiwo Awoniyi to the list of targeted attackers. Graham Potter is in dire need of attacking reinforcements, with Niklas Volkrug out for three months due to a hamstring injury, and Onyi emerges as an option. West Ham have asked about loaning out the Forest striker but a permanent deal has been discussed. Forest want £20m for the 27-year-old Nigerian, who lost his place to Chris Wood.
forest He brought Wayne Hennessy back to the club to provide cover for Mats Sells and Carlos Miguel. The Wales international goalkeeper left Forest at the end of last season after suffering a serious injury, but has now returned to the first team until the end of this season.