The end of the transfer window is approaching, and Chelsea are at the centre of several developing stories, including a new link to Brazilian defender Jonathan Jesus. Our analysis of the past seven days shows the club has been tied to 14 possible arrivals and 18 potential exits. The hottest storyline right now concerns Myles Lewis-Skelly, but below are the latest updates on the most important transfer rumours surrounding the club.
Jonathan Jesus
On Sunday, it was reported that the BlueCo group, which controls both Chelsea and Strasbourg, showed interest in 22-year-old Brazilian defender Jonathan Jesus this season. He has also been scouted by other European clubs, including Bétis, Valencia, and Benfica, who have all promised to make proposals. Jesus joined his current club Cruzeiro in July 2024 on a contract that runs until 2029. He has made 15 appearances in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A this season, and his current market value is listed as €8.00m on Transfermarkt.
Karim Coulibaly
Negotiations for Karim Coulibaly's potential move to Chelsea are at an advanced stage, with a report from Tuesday stating the deal is close to completion. The development has been described as surprising and exclusive news. The BlueCo project reportedly views Coulibaly as a possible future defender for the club.
Nicolas Jackson
Reports on Sunday suggested that Atletico Madrid are a leading candidate to sign Nicolas Jackson and that the Senegal international has agreed to the move. According to football.london, Chelsea are demanding £65 million for the striker and would prefer a direct sale over another loan, while the La Liga club would prefer to take him on loan. This follows a report from AS on Friday which stated that the striker is no longer the priority for Los Colchoneros, mainly because of the terms demanded by Chelsea. The disagreement over a permanent transfer versus a loan has reportedly cooled the talks.
Myles Lewis-Skelly
On Thursday, Arteta stated that Myles Lewis-Skelly would not leave Arsenal this summer, adding that he was "completely confident" the player would remain in his squad. According to sources who spoke to ESPN, the 19-year-old is committed to the Gunners and wants to compete for a first-team position. This came after Arsenal CEO Richard Garlick did not rule out a sale when speaking about the player recently.
Alex Scott
Chelsea is interested in Bournemouth's Alex Scott, but will only pursue a deal if Enzo Fernandez is sold, according to a Thursday report. Football.London reported that Bournemouth has no interest in selling the 22-year-old, who has already rejected a contract extension offer. Chelsea had a bid rejected earlier this summer and could return with a new offer if Fernandez departs. On Wednesday, Nicolò Schira reported that Manchester City have also become interested in the midfielder.
Rafael Leão
Friday's print edition of Gazzetta dello Sport claimed that an unnamed agent is trying to arrange a transfer for AC Milan's Rafael Leão to Chelsea as a replacement for Pedro Neto. Sport Witness suggested the representative is likely Jorge Mendes, who Sacha Tavolieri reports has also offered the player to AS Roma. Mendes is not formally Leão's representative but has received a mandate from the player and his family to handle his next transfer. Earlier in the week, reports on Tuesday stated that agents were working to facilitate a potential move and that AC Milan are prepared to sell the player for €40 million.
Francisco Conceição
On Saturday, Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Chelsea are considering Francisco Conceição as a possible option to replace Pedro Neto. The report states that agent Jorge Mendes is promoting a move for Conceição to Stamford Bridge. While the player would prefer to stay at Juventus, the Serie A club may be unable to refuse a potential fee of approximately €40m, as they do not consider him indispensable. According to Goal.com, Conceição could make a surprise departure from Juventus, with Mendes working on a series of related transfers that could result in the winger moving to Chelsea.
For the very latest, check our Chelsea club page.
