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Chelsea suffered their third defeat in as many games under Frank Lampard on Saturday (April 15) against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. Conor Gallagher gave the hosts an early lead, but the Seagulls responded through goals from Danny Welbeck and Julio Enciso to win 2-1.
Meanwhile, the Blues would prefer to install Julian Nagelsmann as their next manager. Elsewhere, the London giants are planning to present Mason Mount a final offer.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on April 14, 2023:
Chelsea want Julian Nagelsmann
Chelsea want to hear from Julian Nagelsmann before choosing their next manager, according to journalist Christian Falk.
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The German manager is available to take charge at Stamford Bridge after recently parting ways with Bayern Munich. The Blues already have their eyes on Nagelsmann as they continue their search for their next manager.
In his column for Caught Offside, Falk said that Luis Enrique remains an option, but the London giants want to assess Nagelsmann before coming to a decision.
“Another former Bavarian who is very popular in England is Julian Nagelsmann. The coach should now have the opportunity to personally introduce himself to the bosses of Chelsea FC and present his ideas,” wrote Falk.
He added:
“Just over a week ago, Luis Enrique also got this chance. The Spaniard is said to have made a good impression, with some media already speculating about an imminent agreement. So far, however, this has not happened, perhaps because the bosses want to get to know Nagelsmann first.”
Frank Lampard’s poor start to his temporary tenure at Stamford Bridge could rule him out as an option for the permanent role.
Blues planning final Mason Mount offer
Chelsea are preparing to make a final offer to keep Mason Mount at the club, according to ESPN.
The English midfielder’s contract with the Blues expires in less than 18 months, but the club remain keen to keep hold of him. The 24-year-old wants to stay, but the two parties are at an impasse regarding the terms of a new deal.
The London giants are now willing to present Mount with an improved final offer. Mount wants pay parity with Reece James, who is the highest earner at the club and pockets £250,000 per week.
Chelsea are yet to give in to Mount's demands, and further talks are scheduled before the end of the season. If a breakthrough cannot be reached, Mount will not be short of suitors, with Manchester United, Liverpool and Juventus eyeing him with interest.
Frank Lampard lambasts team
Frank Lampard didn't mince his words while talking about his team’s performance on Saturday against Brighton & Hove Albion.
The English manager took charge of the Blues earlier this month after the club opted to part ways with Graham Potter. However, Lampard’s second coming at Stamford Bridge has hardly been rosy so far.
After the latest setback this weekend, Lampard slammed his team’s performance against the Seagulls.
“At the moment, more than defeats, it’s performance that we need to talk about. Wins only come with performance, and in terms of performance, that was the most disappointing one because we were well beaten,” said Lampard.
He continued:
“It’s a very good Brighton team, and we must give them some credit because they can perform like that pretty much against anyone in the league, but we were short. We were a yard short, a tackle short, a fighting duel moment short, and that’s not right. You’re not going to win games like that. You have to have the capacity to do that as well as the desire, and at the moment, we’re falling short. We need to turn that around quickly.”
Lampard added that his team didn’t deserve to win, considering their performance on Saturday.
“The only thing that matters now is the reaction to the end of the season, to try and get improvement. People will talk about three losses, but I’m thinking about performance, and then wins will come. Today, the performance wasn’t worthy of a win,” said Lampard.
The Blues next face Real Madrid in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals on Tuesday (April 18).
