Chelsea have been dealt a significant blow less than 48 hours before the transfer window shuts after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain turned down a move to Stamford Bridge in the hope Liverpool make a late bid for him.
Having agreed a £35million fee with Arsenal, Chelsea hoped to push through a deal for Oxlade-Chamberlain before the transfer window shut on Thursday night.
But after asking for extra time to think about the move, Oxlade-Chamberlain has decided that he does not want to join Chelsea and has left the door open for Liverpool to make a move.
Oxlade-Chamberlain was one of at least four deals Chelsea have been working ahead of the transfer window shutting.
The Blues have received better news on Fernando Llorente and could agree a £15m deal today after talks late on Tuesday night, and they remain in negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement to sign Ross Barkley from Everton and Leicester City’s Danny Drinkwater.
Llorente has told friends he expects to join Chelsea for a fee of around £15m, while it has emerged that Drinkwater handed in a transfer request at Leicester around a month ago aimed and trying to force a move to the Blues.
Chelsea have failed with bids of £15m and £25m for Drinkwater, but will make a third offer inside the next 24 hours in the hop of finally persuading Leicester to sell.
Everton have rejected Chelsea’s initial proposal of a deal worth up to £25m for Barkley, but the two clubs remain in talks and the Premier League champions are desperate to land the midfielder despite his injury.
Tottenham Hotspur could make a rival bid for Barkley, who they have been chasing all summer.
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