Chelsea set to battle Liverpool and Arsenal for £87m UCL winner

Chelsea have had a difficult few weeks both on and off the pitch, but the appointment of Liam Rosenior brings hope of new beginnings.

The Blues have not won a Premier League game in their last five fixtures, which has seen them drop from a title race opportunity to eighth in the league table in a matter of weeks.

Rosenior watched from the stands as Chelsea struggled against Fulham in the West London derby on Wednesday evening at Craven Cottage, but today will lead his first game away to Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup.

The late kick-off presents an opportunity for the former Strasbourg boss to give the supporters a positive first impression with progression in the domestic competition.

However, it will take more than a victory over the Championship side to fully convince the Chelsea faithful that there is light at the end of the tunnel, as resistance against the ownership continues to grow.

In terms of the transfer window, it would come as no surprise if Chelsea are active over the remaining weeks, and seeking new additions who can make an instant impact would be advantageous given their current form.

The defeat to Fulham, coupled with picking up just one win in their last nine league games, is a clear indication that the Blues are nowhere near the finished article, which signals the potential for a strong recruitment drive.

According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea are set to battle with several clubs for the signing of Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola.

The publication claims they can confirm that Chelsea are in regular contact with the Champions League winners, alongside Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal, who are also keen to secure his signature.

It is believed that PSG have zero interest in selling their forward this month, but with intermediaries in regular contact with interested clubs, a summer move has not been ruled out.

The Ligue 1 giants are also keen to initiate talks to extend Barcola’s stay beyond his current 2028 contract.

There is no doubt that Barcola is one of the hottest prospects in European football, and the interest in his potential availability is unsurprising.

The 23-year-old – who has a reported price tag of £87m – is battling for a spot in PSG’s super-talented attacking unit, facing competition from the likes of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue.

Across 23 appearances for PSG this season, Barcola has scored five goals and registered four assists, averaging 60 minutes per game, with his most consistent run of minutes coming in Champions League fixtures so far.

In terms of his long-term future, it is difficult to determine whether Barcola would be open to a move away from the French champions in search of a more prominent role, or if he is content being part of a highly successful but heavily rotated attacking system.

Remaining on high alert and maintaining contact with PSG would be ideal for Chelsea, as circumstances could change should Barcola decide to turn down the opportunity to extend his contract in the summer.

However, the club hierarchy will need to weigh up their short-term options carefully, as expectations remain high in West London and supporters are unlikely to accept another mediocre campaign under BlueCo.

With that being said, Barcola’s future will be an interesting one to monitor, but at present it appears unlikely that PSG will part ways with their star in the immediate future.

Rebekka Arnold is an experienced writer with a strong background in digital media, PR and football journalism.

Since 2021, Rebekka has written opinion pieces and match reaction content for Football Fancast, part of the Snack Media network, building on her growing presence in the football community through viral Twitter content and podcasting.

Now at Transfer Tavern, Rebekka brings her sharp eye for analysis and deep passion for the game to deliver engaging football opinion and breaking transfer news content.