CHELSEA FANSZONE

Chelsea midfielder, Cesc Fabregas has narrated his struggles last season under Antonio Conte, saying that it was such a difficult moment but only his family knew what he went through. Fabregas suggested that it was so difficult that he contemplated leaving Chelsea but later decided to stay and fight for his shirt. "I'm not going to deny it, it was a difficult season,” Fabregas told Marca. "I came from playing everything with [Jose] Mourinho and [Guus] Hiddink and then suddenly I was not counted on all of the time.” "Not everyone knows what I went through during those months and there were people who went as far as to say that it was no longer worth it,” he added. "Only my family knows what I have been through.” "I know what I can give the team and if I can play or not so I decided to stay and fight. With Antonio there is no option other than to compete and give 100 percent in every training session and each match." Fabregas is now enjoying mo...

Despite finishing last season as Champions of England, Chelsea still found themselves in trouble having to replace first eleven players who left the club. Costa was Chelsea's leading scorer while Matic formed a formidable midfield pivot with N'Golo Kante. Both Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic were instrumental in helping Chelsea win the league and reach the FA Cup Final. Legend and Captain John Terry also left with backup goalkeeper Asmir Begovic joining Bournemouth along with Ake as Nathaniel Chalobah chose to stay in London with Watford. Ruben Loftus-Cheek went out on loan to Crystal Palace. Willian also had a good season which prompted another inquiry from Manchester United but the Brazilian decided to stay because he felt Chelsea is still strong enough after the arrival of Rudiger, Morata, Bakayoko, Zappacosta, Caballero and Drinkwater. Willian said on Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday: "These players are great players, we miss these players, but Chelsea always try to...

Legendary Former Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko has thrown his weight behind Chelsea's new striker Alvaro Morata to succeed at Chelsea. Much has been said about filling the boots of departed Diego Costa with many pundits doubting if Morata is capable of doing that even after starting the season with three goals after five rounds of matches but Shevchenko believes that he is simply a good match for Chelsea. He said: “They have found a very good player in Morata,” Shevchenko told reporters at the Best FIFA Football Award ceremony in London on Friday. He has adapted very well. They are two very different players. Costa wasn’t happy so you couldn’t keep him. You have to replace him and I think the club were very patient in the market and found the right player that they were looking for.” “I’ve been surprised that Morata has found the right chemistry with his team mates so quickly. ”Of course he knows Pedro very well and (Eden) Hazard’s type of game suits him ...

Chelsea's hottest on loan star, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is in the thoughts of every football man in England at the moment after a sensational start to the season at Crystal Palace who are struggling in the English Premier League after five rounds of matches. Despite still searching for their first win of the season, Crystal Palace can be very optimistic because they have one of the best players in the 5-round old English Premier League in Ruben Loftus-Cheek whom they signed on a season long loan from Chelsea. The powerful midfielder believes that he was right to leave Chelsea for Crystal Palace where he's enjoying a great season so far on a personal level but knows that a return to Chelsea as a better player is his ultimate goal. He said: "Right now I’m just literally focused on Palace. “He [Conte] said I need to play games. Chelsea is a big club and there’s a lot of pressure which I understand. For me, I think it was the right time for me to go away from Ch...

Chelsea Football Club this afternoon announced that they have agreed a deal with Spanish La Liga side Atletico Madrid subject to the agreement of personal terms and a medical. Chelsea bought Diego Costa from Atletico Madrid for £32m and it's believed that Costa will cost his former club £18m more than they sold him three years ago. A Chelsea statement read: "Chelsea Football Club has today agreed terms with Atletico Madrid for the transfer of Diego Costa. "The transfer will be subject to the agreement of personal terms and a medical." Atletico said: "Atletico de Madrid and Chelsea have reached an initial agreement for the transfer of Diego Costa. "The agreement is pending the formalisation of the contract between our club and the Spanish international forward. "The English club has authorised Diego Costa to travel to Madrid in the coming days to undergo medical tests and settle his contract with our club." Costa won two English Pre...

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has hailed the qualities of Chelsea's Academy defender, Ethan Ampadu who could make his senior Chelsea debut against Nottingham Forest tomorrow night. Ampadu turned 17 years last week but Conte holds him in high regard allowing him to occasionally train with the main team. Conte said age will not force him to deny the youngster the chance he deserves: "Yes [Ampadu will be included]." Conte said. "Ampadu is a young player, but I think he has good quality. He has good prospects to become a Chelsea player. He's strong physically, good technique and personality. "Yes, I think we have to continue to work with him and to try and improve him, to bring him to the next step. But for sure he has good prospects at Chelsea to become a Chelsea player. "I don't think that, if your national team calls you up [Ampadu] and you are 16 years old [at the time of the call up], it puts pressure on you. You must be proud of this. But, f...

Chelsea in-form striker, Alvaro Morata has revealed that a move to Chelsea was so close in the summer of 2016 that he even instructed Cesar Azpilicueta to look for house for him. Morata also stated that he only wanted to join Chelsea after speaking with Chelsea coach, Antonio Conte. “Last summer it was close,” Morata told the Daily Mail. “Cesar Azpilicueta was a bit annoyed because he had already started house-hunting for me last summer. “We’d even got estate agents on board. This time Cesar has sorted everything! “When I spoke to Conte last summer, I said “If I’m going to leave Real Madrid, it will only be for Chelsea”. “I remember I was with my wife after hearing him out in conversation and I said “Chelsea are going to win the league this season.” And that’s exactly what happened. Now we need to repeat it!” Morata who has scored three goals in four English Premier League matches will be hoping to increase his tally when Chelsea host Arsenal at the Stamford Bridge ...

Hull City's on loan Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori has confirmed that his main target is to make it at Chelsea after going out on loan. Tomori, who is currently on loan at Hull City wishes to become a big part of Chelsea's first team in the nearest future. Tomori revealed this while speaking to Hulldailymail: “Making it at Chelsea is the main ambition,” he said. “I have been there since I was eight years old so to make that step and play for the first team is the ultimate goal. “Chelsea keep in touch, there is a lot of interaction with all the loanees. There is a loan department that keeps in touch with all the players, both at home and abroad. “People like Eddie Newton and Tore Andre Flo help a lot. The other staff help a lot as well and contact us. They come to visit the loan players and have a chat. It is a really good set up. “Players like Tammy Abraham have done brilliantly. I am not a striker so I won’t score 26 goals like him but, hopefully, I can have a...

Chelsea New signing Alvaro Morata has hit the ground running in the English Premier League after moving to Chelsea from Real Madrid. The Spaniard has scored three goals from four matches so far in the league, all coming from headers. Morata said training and playing with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid and Fernando Llorente at Juventus helped him improve his heading ability. He told Dailymail: ‘At Real Madrid, I did heading drills with Cristiano Ronaldo. You see him go up for headers, that spring and power, he is a real beast. ‘At Juventus, I saw Fernando Llorente, how he finds space and directs his headers. I like the physical challenge. Last week, I played against Wes Morgan and Harry Maguire… big guys. ‘Cesc Fabregas was putting in good corners that I thought I could get to and bury but there were some coming in and I couldn’t even get a jump up against those guys.’ Morata is expected to lead the line for Chelsea on Sunday against Arsenal after missing ...

Chelsea returned to the UEFA Champions League one year after missing the last edition with a 6-0 thrashing of Qarabag of Azerbaijan while fellow English side Manchester United beat Basel of Switzerland 3-0 prompting the debate inside BT Sports studio about which English team will go furthest in this season's UEFA Champions League. Former Manchester United defender, Rio Ferdinand believes Chelsea are the best equipped English team in the competition. He told BT Sports: "They are a very well balanced team," says Ferdinand, talking about Antonio Conte's Premier League champions on BT Sport. "The manager works hard and from what you hear from within the camp, he drills them daily on tactics and they have an understanding of each other as individuals and as a team. In that sense, they are our best hope, as an English team. "With the other teams, you can see deficiencies. Man United, defensively, could come unstuck against the top teams. Man City, the sa...

Celtic manager and former Chelsea youth team coach, Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Chelsea were well aware of the talents of Neymar and Coutinho and wanted to sign. Neymar was rumoured to be wanted by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich throughout his time in Brazil with Santos. Rodgers told the Scottish Sun: "When we were at Chelsea we were aware of Neymar and Coutinho. Lee came back from a trip and mentioned them. Neymar was in first teams young, he wanted to stay in Brazil before moving. "He has everything. He’s like a motorbike, he’s so fast and balanced, left foot, right foot. I love his hunger. He’s a worker. He’s come out of the shadows a bit, and obviously felt like he wanted to be the main man at PSG. Neymar is a massive talent.”

Chelsea and Italy great, Gianluca Vialli claims it's easier for current Chelsea boss Antonio Conte to work at Chelsea than at Juventus. Conte won the English Premier League in his first season at Chelsea following the foot steps of his fellow country man, Carlo Ancelotti who did the same at Stamford Bridge. Vialli says Italians succeed at Chelsea because they as are used to pressure. Vialli told The Guardian newspaper: “We Italians need to feel like we’re under pressure, we need to see an enemy. The pressure is a combination of expectation, scrutiny and consequences. That’s why we’re so good at managing, because we grew up experiencing pressure all the time. “When Antonio came to England I think he almost felt it was easier, but exciting at the same time.” “They say the Premier League is best league in the world. Or Roy Keane says we are brainwashed into believing it. He might be right. But I can definitely say it’s the most entertaining league. I’ve pla...

Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku has revealed that the dream of playing for Jose Mourinho took him to Manchester United not Chelsea. Incidentally, Lukaku was sold to Everton by then Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, the same man he had wanted to play for. Lukaku who decided to sign for Manchester United in the summer after two bids from Chelsea and Manchester United said: “The manager, Jose Mourinho has helped me a lot to settle quickly, so it has all been very positive,” he said. “I am now with a coach that I have wanted to play with for a long time, since I was 11 years of age. And with him we are looking to do something special. “For me it is all about progressing and learning in my career, and all the coaches I have had have helped me with that.”

Eden Hazard has publicly declared that he wishes to have Chelsea outcast Diego Costa back at Chelsea as soon as possible. Hazard has enjoyed three successful seasons playing with the Brazilian born Spanish International in which they won't two English Premier League titles. Costa is currently on self imposed strike in Brazil after falling out with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte but could be back in London for peace talks according to reports after failing to earn move to his beloved club, Atletico Madrid. Hazard still wants him back and said: “Diego and I have been playing together for three years,” Hazard told Marca. “We won everything together except the Champions League. It is a pleasure to play with him: he is a top player and a top person. I would like to see him back, but I do not make the decisions. I hope we can find a solution and see him on the field soon.”

Chelsea star Eden Hazard has once again confirmed his desire to play in Spanish LA Liga. Hazard has been linked with a move to Real Madrid for the past three seasons but the Belgian believes that one day he will play in Spain but insists that he's currently happy in England playing for Chelsea. Hazard told Spanish newspaper Marca: “At the moment I'm good in England. I play in one of the best teams, but yes, the Spanish League is special. Why not one day? Of course, for the moment I'm here.” Hazard however showered praises on his Idol Zidane and his team Real Madrid: “Well, I think now, at this moment, Real Madrid is the best team in the world. They have won everything and have good players, a great coach. “Now, the Champions League is very difficult to win. It happens as in the Premier League, anyone can win. You never know.” On idol Zidane, Hazard said: “He has won everything, both as a player and coach. He’s special. “Everyone knows ...