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

PSG captain plays down Blues transfer speculation

Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos has played down media talks linking him with a move to Chelsea and rejoining head coach Thomas Tuchel.

The pair had a good relationship in Paris, with the Brazilian frequently lining up alongside Thiago Silva in central defence, who joined the Blues in 2020.

A story in the Daily Mail, citing the Brazilian’s interview with Le Parisien, claims that the Blues made a move for Marquinhos last summer.

‘Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos has hinted that Chelsea made an approach for him over the summer, but PSG rejected any prospect of the Brazilian moving away by shutting down talks,’ the report states.

When asked about Chelsea's interest in him this summer, Marquinhos said: 'No! It wasn't even an offer. In fact, the club blocked talks straight away. It shows the faith they have in me.

'It is an honour for a club like PSG to put such faith in me. The fact that others are interested in me means I am doing well.

'It gives me the motivation to go on, boost my training sessions and play even better. Paris and PSG are the only things on my mind.'

Former Blues assistant opens up on Chelsea experience

Former Chelsea assistant coach Luca Gotti has spoken of his time with the Blues during the 2018/19 season, as Maurizio Sarri’s assistant.

Both coaches are now bosses at Serie A clubs, with Sarri leading Lazio, while Gotti is now a head coach himself with Udinese.

In an interview with The Coaches Voice, Gotti spoke of his learning curve in the Premier League, and our Europa League triumph after beating Arsenal 4-0 in Baku.

‘Maurizio called me, and the next day I was in London,' Gotti said to The Coaches Voice. 'Before I left I called Roberto (Donadoni), as an act of courtesy, and asked him if I could join Maurizio,’ said Gotti. ‘He was very kind and encouraged me to do so.’

‘I had met Maurizio several years before, when we attended the master’s course for coaches in Coverciano, at the headquarters of the Italian Football Federation in Florence.

‘When we started at Chelsea, we didn’t know the club or the Premier League very well – although we had Gianfranco Zola and Carlo Cudicini, two former Chelsea players, there to help and guide us. I thought I knew everything because I had seen so many games, but working in that environment for the first time is something different.’

The Blues reached a Carabao Cup final and won the Europa League in the Italian duo’s time at the club. ‘Coaching Chelsea was a fantastic experience,’ revealed Gotti.

Murphy heaps praise on Blues duo

Former footballer and pundit Danny Murphy has praised both the man management of our head coach Thomas Tuchel and also the brilliance of Mason Mount in a radio interview with talkSPORT.

Speaking after the Blues’ 7-0 thumping over Norwich at the weekend, Murphy praised the mentality within the dressing room.

‘He’s got a group of players who are super talented, all on board who work tremendously hard to not concede goals, and that is their platform to build on and then the talent comes out,’ said Murphy.

‘If you play against Chelsea you have got to play extremely well to get any short chances against them.

‘He has got a gravitas, he is an intelligent man,’ Murphy said about Tuchel. ‘He is making all the right decisions.

Murphy also admitted he is a huge fan of Cobham graduate Mason Mount. ‘I’m a big fan of Mount, and he (Tuchel) is as well. But more recently, and I know he had a little injury, he left him out for a few games.

‘Freshen him up, refocus his thinking maybe. Bang, he’s back in [against Norwich], hat-trick, looking sharp again.’