Gracia perfect for Chelsea, Zidane opens door to bargain deal, Sarri told £25 million winger leaving

Here is a daily roundup of the latest Chelsea news and gossip.

Journalist Kevin Affleck has claimed that Watford Boss Javi Gracia would be a good fit for Chelsea, but he may not even want the move.

Sarri’s tactics have not won over the fans or Roman Abramovic, while a number of fallings out with the clubs biggest players have led to a lot of tension behind the scenes at Stamford bridge, with the Italian even admitting he does not know he is will be boss next season.

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And that has led to talk that we may make a move for Watford coach Gracia, but Affleck does not know if Gracia would want the job here.

“I think he’s a perfect fit. The executives at Chelsea would have noted how he gets on with the job with minimal fuss, he doesn’t create any adverse headlines about transfers,” he told The Transfer Window podcast.

“In fact, the last January window, which is kind of unheard of, Javi Gracia actually said ‘I don’t want anymore players. Don’t give me anymore players, I want to work with the ones I’ve got now.’

“This is a guy who breaks the mould. He says ‘I can get the best out of what I’ve got.’ And he felt new players coming in would mean he’d have to leave some out and upset people. He doesn’t moan about injuries, he gets clubs, he gets the fans, he weaves himself into the fabric of the club. And he’s so astute tactically, he’s always got a plan up his sleeve.

“His football is far more attractive than people think. I think people pigeon-hole Watford as a long-ball team, get it up to [Troy] Deeney and play for the second balls. But when you’ve got players of the technical capabilities of [Etienne] Capoue and [Gerard] Deulofeu and [Roberto] Pereyra, they very much play through the thirds. They’re very progressive.”

“Now that all sets him up as an ideal candidate for Chelsea, particularly with their strong Spanish contingent. I think he’d look to get the best out of them.

“But from my dealings with him, I just think he’s one of the most loyal guys I’ve come across. He’s a man of principle and if he’s the man everyone at Watford thinks he is, I just can’t see that one happening.

“He’s signed a four-and-a-half year contract, which is unprecedented in managerial terms at Watford. Most managers get a four-and-a-half month contract in previous seasons.

“I’m just thinking, why would Javi go to Chelsea?”

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Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has told Chelsea he is unsure whether or not Bale will still be at the club this summer.

With the news that Eden Hazard could be all set to leave the club in the next few weeks, there has been a lot of transfer speculation in the media over the past few months which have suggested that we will be looking to try and sign the unhappy Bale.

Zidane and Bale had a fractured relationship during the Frenchman’s first spell at the club, and his return looked likely to signal the end of the Welshman’s stay in Madrid after being dropped by the Frenchman over the past few weeks.

Zidane told Sky Sports: “He’ll be part of the squad tomorrow and that’s all I can tell you.

“You’ll see the team that we put out. I don’t know whether this will be his last game.

“We’re at the end of the season and next year there’ll be changes, but I don’t know whether this will be his last game or not”.

Ajax Director of football Marc Overmars has admittedt winger Hakin Ziyech will be leaving the Dutch Champions this season.

The 26-year-old has been one of the standout stars of Ajax’s squad this season, weighing in with 16 goals and 13 assists in the Eredivisie from a wide midfield position as he helped Ajax clinch their first League title in five years while also reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League.

However, he is heading for the exit signs over the next few weeks as Ajax look set to lose a number of their talented youngsters, with reports he has a £25 million release clause in his current contract.

Addressing Ziyech’s future, Overmars said on Telefoot: ‘He leaves when a top club comes. He is in focus because of his achievements in the Champions League.

‘Many big clubs are buzzing around him. We promised Hakim [that we would] agree to a good transfer.’

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