These stories are samples pulled from external media sources. They do not represent the views or position of Chelsea Football Club.

Lyon prepared to let Dembele leave

According to the Sun, Lyon are ready to listen to offers for striker Moussa Dembele this summer after they missed out on qualifying for a spot in Europe next season.

Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly interested in the 23-year-old, who scored 16 goals in 27 Ligue 1 games before the French season was halted and cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.

With Lyon finishing seventh and failing to qualify for European competition, club president Jean-Michel Aulas admits they will struggle to hold on to their best players.

‘I am going to do everything to keep the players,’ he told French publication Le Progres.

‘But players who are programmed to play in Europe could want to go elsewhere because we don’t have European football.’

Dembele previously played for Fulham and Celtic before joining Lyon in 2018.

Freiburg forward touted as transfer target

The Daily Mail has suggested Chelsea could make a move this summer for promising Freiburg forward Luca Waldschmidt.

While he has yet to make a big impression in the Bundesliga, the paper believes Waldschmidt has plenty to offer the Blues.

‘With a valuation around the £20-25m mark, the 23-year-old represents a genuine investment with his best years still yet to come as he develops his game,’ states the report.

‘His goal return is nothing special right now - he has scored five times and added an assist in 15 Bundesliga games this season - but the likes of Chelsea boss Frank Lampard have been impressed having looked beyond the stats.

‘Waldschmidt impressed Germany manager Joachim Low at last summer's Under 21s tournament, scoring seven goals in four games.

‘He is under contract until June 2022 and so while Freiburg are under no obligation to sell, interest from the Premier League could prove too strong for the player to ignore - even if the club are keen to defuse all of this exit talk.’

Blues pair inspired Man Utd youngster

Young Manchester United winger Daniel James has told his club’s official website that he was inspired to play the game after watching Eden Hazard and Juan Mata in action for Chelsea.

Asked about the players who inspired him the most when he was growing up, the 22-year-old began by talking about the creative pair, who played together for the Blues before Mata was sold to United in 2014.

‘I think, growing up, I always liked Juan [Mata],’ said the Welsh youngster who also named Ryan Giggs and Thierry Henry as his inspirations.

‘It’s a weird one because, when I first signed for United, meeting him, he’s such a great guy and it was surreal for me to meet him.

‘He was playing for Chelsea in those days when I was watching. Him and Hazard together, I always looked up to them two.’