Chelsea Transfer News: Blues bid £43m for Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez, also in talks with Milan star Rafael Leao

In Chelsea Transfer News, Blues bid £43m for Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez, they are also in talks with AC Milan for a potential deal for Rafael Leao.

Another Ajax player headed to the Premier League?

Chelsea have made a £43m bid for Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez.

The club still want to sign a forward and midfielder before the transfer window closes.

Thomas Tuchel has already spent £268m this summer on players, including Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly.

But the Chelsea boss criticised his players for "not being tough enough" in Tuesday's 2-1 defeat at Southampton as he tore into them for their "soft defending" at St Mary's.

He may, though, have a task on his hands in getting Alvarez from Ajax following a mass exodus of star players from the Dutch club this summer.

Noussair Mazraoui, Ryan Gravenberch, Lisandro Martinez and Sebastien Haller have already left this summer, with Antony set to finalise his move to Manchester United this week.

The Dutch champions are projected to make in the region of £180m from sales in this window, and are under no pressure to allow Mexico international Alvarez to leave.

The transfer window in the Netherlands also shuts 24 hours earlier than most of Europe this summer due to an administrative error made by the nation's football governing body, KNVB.

Chelsea Transfer News: Serie A Player of the Year 2021-22 to join Chelsea in a sensational swoop?

Chelsea are in talks to sign AC Milan forward Rafael Leao ahead of Thursday's transfer deadline, according to reports.

Leao - who joined AC Milan from French side Lille in 2019 - scored 14 goals in all competitions during the 2021-2022 campaign and helped the club win their first league title since 2011.

Thomas Tuchel's side are in need of further attacking reinforcements and that was apparent in Tuesday's 2-1 loss to Southampton. 

According to The Times, Chelsea have opened talks with Milan for Leao after being told a deal for PSG forward Neymar is not possible. 

The west London side were led to believe the Brazilian star is available but PSG want to keep him despite his reported tensions with Kylian Mbappe. 

Leao won Serie A's Most Valuable Player award last season, following in the footsteps of previous winners including Romelu Lukaku, Paulo Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 23-year-old, who is primarily a left winger, can play across the frontline and his versatility is likely to suit what Tuchel is after. 

Leao is currently under contract at San Siro until 2024 and Milan will be reluctant to lose him late in the window. 

Chelsea are also set to further boost their midfield with the signing of Russian star Arsen Zakharyan from Dynamo Moscow.

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