Inside Chelsea’s main summer time dilemma, the ‘grasp mentalist’ fact about Thomas Tuchel partying with Blues stars and big increase for membership’s goalkeepers: CHELSEA CONFIDENTIAL

Ask AC Milan and they’re going to let you know Joao Felix’s mortgage contract runs till June 30, 2025.

If seen by way of to the top, that might stop the Portuguese playmaker from returning to Chelsea in time for the beginning of this summer time’s Membership World Cup in the USA. The Blues’ event begins a fortnight earlier in opposition to Mexico’s Leon in Atlanta they usually might nicely have performed 4 matches within the inaugural 32-team competitors by the point Felix returns.

Nonetheless, it isn’t as straight-forward because the Italians may need you imagine, for Confidential has additionally been instructed by Stamford Bridge sources {that a} clause was added which might enable them to convey the 25-year-old again to characteristic on that journey.

Whether or not occurs stays to be seen after Chelsea allowed him to depart six months right into a seven-year contract, having joined from Atletico Madrid for £46.3million in the summertime.

Felix is represented by Jorge Mendes, whose Gestifute company additionally take care of Milan supervisor Sergio Conceicao, who’s beneath stress after three consecutive losses.

Felix is already on the verge of managing extra minutes in Serie A – 356 since signing for Milan final month – than the 364 he was handed within the Premier League by Chelsea all season.

That was the crux of why he agreed to depart in January. He needed extra sport time than Enzo Maresca was keen to present him in his most well-liked No 10 place. Nonetheless, Felix is being butchered by the Milan media, together with one line from Fabio Ravezzani which went: ‘He’s as good-looking as he’s ineffective.’

One other native correspondent instructed us the discuss in Italy is that Milan are unlikely to push to signal him completely this summer time, after they would want to barter a charge because the membership maintain no possibility or obligation to purchase .

It leaves him dealing with additional turbulence because the footballing vagabond transferring from membership to membership in the hunt for a set residence, every time expressing his need to remain for good.

It occurred after he arrived at Chelsea on mortgage in March 2023: ‘I’m very, very glad.’ When his season-long mortgage at Barcelona was coming to an finish in June 2024: ‘My plan is obvious, I really like Barcelona and I need to keep.’

When he rejoined Chelsea final summer time: ‘I wanted to remain completely in a single place. There isn’t any higher place for me to be than Chelsea. I see an ideal place to shine.’ When he moved to Milan final month: ‘If there’s an opportunity to remain right here, I’d like that.’

Chelsea followers have been utilizing a clip of Conor Gallagher committing two terrific tackles for Atletico to ask why they despatched him in the wrong way to Felix, with each offers introduced on the identical day. Atletico like Gallagher and followers have nicknamed him El Pitbull for a way he chases each ball.

However the Cobham graduate has solely began as soon as of their final 9 matches as Diego Simeone has settled on a 4-4-2 involving a two-man midfield of Pablo Barrios and Rodrigo de Paul – one holding and one other who assaults extra. That’s lowering Gallagher to a bench possibility for now.

Nonetheless, it’s tough to dispute who acquired the higher deal out of Felix and Gallagher and I do know who my cash can be on us seeing for sure on the 2025 Membership World Cup.

Is that this your (birthday) card?

Photos emerged this week of England supervisor Thomas Tuchel catching up with Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League winners reminiscent of Reece James, Jorginho, Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell.

For these questioning when and why, I’m getting the phrase that they have been taken on Saturday evening at a swanky non-public social gathering celebrating the fiftieth birthday of former Blues director Marina Granovskaia, through which a ‘grasp mentalist’ put in a mesmerising efficiency on stage.

Whereas it meant Tuchel snubbed Manchester Metropolis’s FA Cup match that evening – loosen up, I’m solely joking, let’s give the bloke a break – the Three Lions boss was amongst these wowed by Lior Suchard.

One of many world’s most coveted thoughts readers for rent at high-end occasions, he acquired James and some different well-known faces, together with present Blues defender Trevoh Chalobah, concerned in an act which company say stole the present (no offence to the reside jazz band or the cocktails and caviar).

Hopefully, Suchard can see nice success in England and Chelsea’s futures.

Todd Gotta-goehly

Makes an attempt at stopping Chelsea’s co-owner Todd Boehly for a separate chat after his FT Enterprise of Soccer Summit tackle final week have been futile because the American billionaire made a beeline for the lifts at London’s Peninsula Resort as soon as stepping off stage.

Sorry, gotta go, flight to catch and all that.

It’s understood Boehly flew in from Miami for the discuss and was flying instantly out of London on different enterprise.

Busy man, in any case, and he spent the weekend visiting one of many New Seven Wonders of the World in Petra, Jordan.

He wore a Chelsea-branded tracksuit prime, as the images supplied to Confidential present. The native tourism board is engaged on bringing sporting occasions reminiscent of marathons, climbing, off-road racing and the wish to Petra.

Boehly and his accompanying delegation had funding alternatives introduced to them throughout the journey.

Again to the FT Summit and I’m instructed Boehly was not pre-warned what questions have been going to be requested by  moderator Arash Massoudi, who chucked within the odd cheeky one on Chelsea, together with on the finish when he questioned whether or not the possession set-up will keep as is for the following 12 months a minimum of.

Boehly answered: ‘Hear, I can not predict the longer term. If I might, I would not be right here speaking to you.’ Nothing fallacious with a little bit spice.

Perhaps Behdad Eghbali will cease on the lifts if he speaks at subsequent 12 months’s version. We’ll see.

From Boehly to Trimboli

Additionally on the Peninsula Resort was Frank Trimboli, the co-head of soccer at main company CAA Base, who brokered Cole Palmer’s transfer from Manchester Metropolis to Chelsea in 2023 for £40million, rising to £42.5m.

Right here’s some perception into that switch from Trimboli, who stated: ‘Manchester Metropolis understood the worth of the participant. They’d a variety of different gamers who they thought on the time have been extra prepared than Cole to be taking part in. They knew that probably his future worth was going to be excessive.

‘Given the quantity of soccer Cole had performed, it was nonetheless a excessive quantity. There have been folks at Chelsea who had beforehand labored at Manchester Metropolis so that they knew what they have been shopping for.

‘Credit score to Chelsea as a result of they have been those who put the cash on the desk. Twelve months after that, that £40m seems like cash very nicely spent.’

Certainly, there isn’t any level in guessing what Palmer can be value now as a result of Chelsea are nowhere close to entertaining a sale, and Confidential readers might recall how we reported in final week’s column that there isn’t any launch clause within the 22-year-old’s up to date contract based mostly on Champions League qualification this season.

No 26 set for 26 miles 

John Terry has signed as much as run this 12 months’s London Marathon alongside Frank Lampard’s former assistant Jody Morris.

They’ll cowl the 26.2 miles on behalf of the kids’s charity Rays of Sunshine, who help and grant particular needs for severely unwell children aged three to 18. 

Terry at present works with Chelsea in a consultancy position, that focuses on him serving to the academy at Cobham.

Chelsea signal new goalkeeper …coach

Chelsea’s newest rent has been to usher in Mark Mason from Arsenal as assistant head of goalkeeping, although I’m instructed his position will probably be academy centered.

Mason was head of academy goalkeeping with the Gunners, whereas he has additionally labored for Inter Miami, Brighton, Portsmouth, Ipswich, Southend and the England nationwide groups. He’s additionally a specialist set-piece coach, which may gain advantage the Blues.

As for Chelsea’s senior goalkeeping scenario, it could come as no shock if Djordje Petrovic is put in as No 1 by the point the following Premier League season will get going. 

The 25-year-old Serbian is in line to remain upon getting back from his mortgage with French sister membership Strasbourg, the place he has been incomes rave critiques and has been tracked carefully by Chelsea’s mortgage division.

He was named man of the match of their 1-0 win over Auxerre which confirmed a fourth clear sheet in a row and lifted Liam Rosenior’s aspect as much as seventh in Ligue 1.

Petrovic, Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen and incoming 19-year-old Mike Penders, from Genk, are why Chelsea insiders are adamant they won’t be signing a brand new goalkeeper this summer time, as we reported final week.

Bear that in thoughts while you hear them linked to Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen, Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher and whoever else.

Luis phooey and the information

Chelsea should not in for Paris Saint-Germain soccer advisor Luis Campos, regardless of hypothesis.

The membership are behind their present sporting director set-up and any makes an attempt at destabilising the place through the use of them in rumours are very a lot unwelcome.

Campos’ contract with PSG is believed to run out this summer time and reviews from France have steered talks over an extension are tense. That impasse has coincided with the Portuguese govt trying like a needed man.

Chelsea should not the one ones who’ve been incorrectly linked, thoughts. Arsenal have likewise had it occur to them amid their seek for a brand new sporting director after Edu’s exit.

The Saudi Arabian Soccer Federation additionally launched an announcement denying reviews that that they had supplied Campos a profitable 10-year deal to develop their nationwide staff.

Drogba, Mourinho …and Roman numerals?

Chelsea legend Didier Drogba used his X account, which boasts 2.7million followers, to defend Jose Mourinho final week after the Fenerbahce boss was accused of racism by Galatasaray. Mourinho had stated the house bench have been ‘leaping like monkeys’ throughout the Istanbul derby.

The unique model of Drogba’s assertion included a line which learn: ‘Belief me once I let you know, I’ve identified Jose for xx years and he’s not a racist.’

That use of ‘xx’ prompted a good few accusations that the previous Galatasaray striker was instructed what to tweet and forgot to fill within the hole earlier than doing so, whereas others joked the 46-year-old had merely forgotten to cap up his Roman numerals for 20.

The road was quickly edited to learn: ‘Belief me once I let you know I’ve identified Jose for 25 years and he’s not a racist.’

Nonetheless, these near Drogba have balked on the suggestion he would have been instructed to tweet the present of help for his former supervisor over his former membership.

Mourinho has since been banned for 4 video games and fined £35,194. The Portuguese supervisor responded by suing Galatasaray for 1,907,000 Turkish lira (£41,468) – a quantity vital as Fenerbahce have been based in 1907 – for ‘ethical damages’.

Cole’s copycat

The X account of Joe Cole gained nice reputation final week.

Nonetheless, verify in with the person himself and also you’ll study it’s truly a faux inflicting a headache and fooling followers.

Cole himself has clarified as such on Instagram as he requested for assist in reporting @therealjoecole1.

Chalk it as much as the perils of Elon Musk et al making it in order that anybody can safe a blue tick, as long as you will have mum’s bank card particulars.