Cole Palmer has passed his medical and will be announced as a Chelsea player, while the club prepares for a late offer from Tottenham Hotspur for Conor Gallagher.
While Palmer is anticipated to be Chelsea’s final first-team acquisition prior to Friday night’s transfer deadline, the club is working on a number of exits.
The majority of these are loan deals for youth players, but Chelsea will enter the final day of the transfer window with uncertainty surrounding the futures of Callum Hudson-Odoi, who is desired by both Nottingham Forest and Fulham, Trevoh Chalobah, for whom Bayern Munich made an offer, and Gallagher.
Tottenham has been interested in Gallagher for the majority of the summer but waited until the last minute to make an offer. The expectation at Stamford Bridge is that an offer will be made after Palmer completed his £45 million transfer from Manchester City.
Chelsea have already rejected a £40 million offer from West Ham United for Gallagher this summer, so Spurs would have to offer at least £45 million for the England international for Chelsea to consider selling.
Gallagher has started all four of Chelsea’s games under Mauricio Pochettino and captained the side during Wednesday’s Carabao Cup victory over Wimbledon. However, he will encounter increased competition with the arrival of Palmer, who is slated to play at No. 10 and on the right wing.
Bayern desired a loan for Chalobah, whereas Chelsea desired a permanent transfer, which made an agreement unlikely. The 24-year-old has been told he is free to quit the club, but he will only do so if a suitable offer is made.
Hudson-Odoi has been training with Chelsea’s Under-21s and is expected to depart to either Forest or Fulham before the transfer window closes, while clubs could also test Chelsea’s resolve regarding Ian Maatsen after Marc Cucurella’s loan move to Manchester United fell through.
Maatsen spent last season on loan at Burnley and was expected to remain at Chelsea, but Pochettino still has three left-backs in his squad on the final day of the transfer window due to Cucurella’s situation.