European giants vie for Santos star. Will Stamford Bridge or Camp Nou secure the Brazilian sensation as he eyes a future abroad?
Santos rejected AC Milan's first offer for prestigious defender Souza, who is also of interest to Chelsea.
According to Eduardo Burgos, the Brazilian club values the player at just under $10 million, including variables, but wants more.
Peixe will only consider opening talks for a price above $12 million. The expectation is that Souza will leave Brazil in the near future, with several European clubs following the midfielder.
Chelsea and Barcelona are also clubs following the situation and remain in the running. In the end, it could all be decided by the Brazilian.
What is Chelsea's Plan for the January Transfer Window?
The January transfer window opens in the Premier League on Jan. 1, and Chelsea is pursuing Rennes center back Jeremy Jacquet, 20, and Saint-Etienne forward Djylian N'Guessan, 17. But, first and foremost, the priority for the Stamford Bridge club is player departures.
Thus, as reported by The Athletic, Chelsea wants to part ways immediately with English wingers Raheem Sterling, 31, and Tyrique George, 19, as well as French defender Axel Disasi, 27.
Sterling cost Chelsea 56.2 million euros ($62.3 million) in July 2022, when it signed him from Manchester City (which, in turn, acquired his services in the summer of 2015 from Liverpool). He was the first major signing of the 'Todd Boehly era' as the owner of Chelsea. He is the highest-paid player on the London squad (373,000 euros per week) and is under contract until 2027.
But the English international's performance for the Blues has always been irregular, failing to meet the expectations that accompanied his arrival at Chelsea. A possible destination for Sterling would be a Saudi Arabian club.
Sterling has not played a single match in the 2025-26 season. He was sidelined after no destination was found for him last summer, following the 2024-25 season in which he played on loan at Arsenal.
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