Chelsea given Kevin De Bruyne transfer 'green light' as Enzo Maresca sanctions dream £30m deal

Chelsea only have a few days to recharge their batteries before they're back in action. Fulham will host the Blues at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon as they both look to climb the Premier League.

Enzo Maresca's side recently fell to sixth in the table after Manchester City and Newcastle United enjoyed wins at the weekend. With six games to go, Chelsea are one point off the reigning champions in fifth place and three from Nottingham Forest in fourth.

If the west Londoners can secure Champions League qualification then suddenly Stamford Bridge becomes a far more attractive destination for targets this summer. So, with that being said, football.london has rounded up all the latest Chelsea news and transfer gossip.

Chelsea given De Bruyne 'green light'

Joe Cole has given Chelsea the green light to sign Kevin De Bruyne, who will leave Manchester City when his contract expires in the summer. The former Blues midfielder said: "Do you know who he’s perfect for?

"Do you know what? Like Chelsea. I know he’s been there before and he, you know, I’m just thinking. You’re saying to, you’re not for us for the next two years and what we want to do.

"Well, you’re on a free, you can go anywhere you want. And I’m saying, and I’m saying, and this ain’t me trying to, you know, if I’m Chelsea and I’m sitting around with him, I’m going, we need experienced players, like Kevin De Bruyne.

"He’s been injured a bit, but we, what he gives the changing room as a winner, as a leader, we might only need him for 30 games a season."

football.london says: "Kevin De Bruyne would be an excellent signing for Chelsea. If the Blues can secure Champions League qualification, I think they have a good chance in the race for his signature. He'd be just as impactful on the pitch as he would be off it."

Maresca picks dream summer signing

According to GiveMeSport, Enzo Maresca has put pressure on higher-ups at Stamford Bridge to wrap up the signing of Liam Delap. The 22-year-old striker has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea for a while now as he continues to impress for Ipswich Town.

football.london understands that the Blues are interested in Delap, who they've been keeping tabs on since he left Manchester City to join Kieran McKenna's side in the summer. It's understood that, while a move for the England Under-21 international was considered in January, Chelsea knew any deal would be difficult to complete midway through the season.

football.london says: "If Ipswich Town get relegated from the Premier League then Liam Delap will be available for just £30m! That's a bargain. Every club in the English top flight should be all over this opportunity."

Caicedo transfer stance revealed

Chelsea have no intention of letting Moises Caicedo leave in the summer transfer window, football.london understands, despite interest from Al-Nassr. The Ecuador international has a contract at Stamford Bridge that runs until 2031 after signing for a British record transfer fee of £115million in the summer of 2023.

He turned down Liverpool in favour of a move to west London. The Blues have no interest in allowing Caicedo to leave, with Maresca recently describing him as 'the best defensive midfielder in the world'.

football.london says: "Moises Caicedo has been excellent for a while now. It's no surprise that Chelsea have no plan to sell a player of the season contender. Top player."

football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel

Want to keep up to date with the breaking and important Chelsea stories whilst on the move? Well now you can!

Click this link to follow the football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel, where you'll be kept up to date on the latest Blues news wherever you are.

Just remember to turn on the notifications once you've followed, and you won't miss a beat!