Chelsea agree Jamie Gittens deal and battle Newcastle for João Pedro | Chelsea

Chelsea have agreed a deal value about £55m to signal the Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens and are competing with Newcastle for the Brighton ahead João Pedro.

Enzo Maresca is on the lookout for attacking additions this summer season and has been eager to usher in a right-footed left-winger after sending Jadon Sancho again to Manchester United. Mykhailo Mudryk can be unavailable after being charged by the Soccer Affiliation with doping offences.

Chelsea recognized Gittens as a key goal in January and have been negotiating with Dortmund over the 20-year-old this summer season. A price has been agreed and the England Underneath-21 worldwide, who additionally had curiosity from Bayern Munich, has already stated sure to a seven-year contract.

Gittens, who is because of endure a medical, might be unable to characteristic for Chelsea on the Membership World Cup as he has already performed for Dortmund in the US.

Chelsea are additionally trying to signal a flexible ahead and have muscled in on Newcastle’s try and signal the Brighton ahead João Pedro. The Brazil worldwide is a key goal for Newcastle, who’ve already had a £50m bid for him rejected.

Nevertheless, Chelsea are additionally within the former Watford attacker and consider they will persuade him to affix them after opening talks with Brighton over a deal. Sam Jewell, who introduced João Pedro to Brighton and has since joined Chelsea’s recruitment crew, has been influential within the push for him.

Brighton are holding out for £60m for João Pedro, who has scored 30 objectives in 70 appearances for the membership. There may be hope from Chelsea and Newcastle {that a} decrease price may be agreed. Chelsea have had an preliminary strategy knocked again however negotiations are ongoing and there’s a feeling that the 23-year-old will favour a transfer to Stamford Bridge over Newcastle.

João Pedro’s enchantment to Chelsea is partly right down to his versatility and Premier League expertise. Chelsea need an attacker to supply selection and depth in artistic positions. They’ve additionally thought of West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus. It’s anticipated that area might be discovered for João Pedro in Maresca’s squad by promoting João Félix and Christopher Nkunku.

Elsewhere, Sunderland are set to beat Leeds and a bunch of European golf equipment to the signing of Habib Diarra from Strasbourg for a club-record £30m as they put together to return to the Premier League.

The Senegal midfielder, who scored within the 3-1 defeat of England on the Metropolis Floor this month, is predicted on Wearside to finish his medical after Sunderland had a suggestion value an preliminary €31.5m (£27m) plus €4m in add-ons accepted.

Leeds had additionally been hoping to signal Diarra and noticed a £24m bid rejected final week, whereas Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt had been among the many 21-year-old’s different suitors.

However with Sunderland having recognized Diarra as their most popular possibility to exchange Jobe Bellingham, who joined Borussia Dortmund for an preliminary £27.8m, their improved bid was sufficient to persuade Strasbourg to simply accept their supply.

It represents one thing of a coup for the Championship playoff winners as they put together to return to the Premier League after an eight-year absence, having already signed Enzo Le Fée from Roma after he spent the second half of final season on mortgage within the north-east. Their Wembley hero Tom Watson has already departed to Brighton for £10m, whereas they’ve additionally explored re-signing Jordan Henderson from Ajax.

The price for Diarra, who represented France at under-21 degree earlier than making his senior debut Senegal final 12 months, surpasses the £20m they paid for Le Fée. Sunderland are additionally considered within the Good goalkeeper Marcin Bulka, who had stints at Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, in addition to Sassuolo’s French winger Armand Laurienté.

Paul Pogba has joined Monaco on a free switch after signing a two-year contract, the Ligue 1 membership stated on Saturday, because the 32-year-old French midfielder seems to revive his profession following a doping ban.