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

Blues keeping tabs on Dahoud

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Mahmoud Dahoud.

According to the Daily Mail, the Borussia Dortmund star has one year left on his contract and his past relationship with Thomas Tuchel could lure the player to Stamford Bridge.

The German international signed for Dortmund while Tuchel was still in charge. However, the move was completed after our current head coach had left the club.

The report states that Chelsea are set to face competition from Manchester City who are also interested in the Syrian-born midfielder.

The 25-year-old has played a prominent role in midfield for Dortmund this season. Dahoud has scored twice including an important goal in the last 16 of the Champions League against Sevilla.

Dahoud has also recently featured for the German national team and picked up two caps against Turkey and the Czech Republic.

Cole praises Kante

Joe Cole was full of praise for N’Golo Kante’s performance against Atletico Madrid last night.

Speaking on BT Sport, the former Chelsea winger believes the Frenchman looked five years younger in his Man of the Match performance.

‘You have got the legs in midfield now,’ Cole said. ‘You’ve got Kovacic and Kante back, and Kante looks about five years younger again.

‘He has missed a lot of football, but he has had a good run at it now and he has built his fitness and match stamina up that you need.’

The 29-year-old made 13 ball recoveries against Diego Simeone’s Atletico side. He capped off his performance when he won a header from a cross in our box and raced on the counter-attack to the other for Emerson’s goal.

‘He was sensational,’ Cole added. ‘Not only does he have the physical capabilities, but he has got that canny ability to be in the right place at the right time and players don’t get around him.

‘He’s like having two men in one. He decides when he takes it, he blocks lines and then still has the energy to keep starting attacks and breaks forward in the 90th minute as well. He was fantastic and he’s back to his best.’

Ferdinand likens Havertz to Berbatov

Rio Ferdinand says Kai Havertz reminds him of his old team-mate Dimitar Berbatov.

The former Manchester United centre-back has been impressed by the German’s performances recently and likened him to the former Bulgarian talisman.

‘It is normal that not all players hit the ground running perfectly,’ Ferdinand said on BT Sport. ‘He is one of them and he has taken the time to adapt.

‘But I think you can see the quality is there, we saw it at Bayer Leverkusen in previous years that he was a hugely talented footballer.’

Ferdinand compared Havertz to the former Tottenham and Manchester United attacker, who also arrived in the Premier League from Bayer Leverkusen.

‘He reminds me a little bit of Berbatov in how cool, calm and collected he is,’ Ferdinand continued.

‘He is very silky, he plays on the edge of the game a little bit at times and drifts about.’