Good morning and welcome to football.london's live Chelsea transfer blog, where we bring you all the latest stories coming out of Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea spent a whopping £220m in the summer transfer window but that has, so far, not had the desired effect.
In particular, Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, who joined the Blues for a combined fee of £117m, have yet to catch fire for Chelsea, as Frank Lampard's side sit ninth in the Premier League.
But much of the talk this January transfer window has been about players leaving, rather than arriving.
Fikayo Tomori, Danny Drinkwater, Antonio Rudiger, and Marcus Alonso, among others, have been tipped with moves away from the club.
But Chelsea are continuously linked with West Ham United star Declan Rice.
So stay tuned for all the latest Chelsea-related transfer stories here.
Fulham's defence impressed against Spurs
One for Chelsea to watch out for in tomorrow's London derby.
Lampard on Fulham, team news and more
Did you miss Frank Lampard's pre-match press conference yesterday? Don't panic! Here is a full transcript from the Chelsea boss.
Gallas on Rice
Former Chelsea defender William Gallas is tipping Declan Rice to eventually move to Stamford Bridge.
Ferdinand hints at Rice desire
Rio Ferdinand has hinted that Declan Rice would prefer a move to Chelsea, though he admitted that he does not see the West Ham star attempting to force through a transfer this month.
Chelsea have held longstanding interest in the former Blues academy product, with Lampard viewing him as either a long-term successor for N'Golo Kante or centre-half. But Ferdinand believes that a move will not happen until the summer and that it is up to the clubs to determine a fee.
"If it happens, it will be between the clubs. I don’t think he’s going to be the person that instigates it," he told his FIVE YouTube channel.
"I think he’s quite a laid-back kid in that sense but he’s a driven kid. He’s someone who wants to achieve, better himself and improve.
"He’s like a sponge, he asks questions when you speak to him: ‘What was it like in your time?’ He reminds me of myself in that respect. He asks questions like, ‘What was he like, training with him?’. He wants to know everything because he wants to better himself. You can’t fault a kid like that.
"Good luck to him. I think it’s inevitable he will go but I think – if I’m being realistic – he will go in the summer. And I think it would be to Chelsea if he had his wish."
Erling Haaland transfer alert
Chelsea have been handed a major boost in their hopes of signing Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Haaland.
According to reports in the Italian media at the end of December, Frank Lampard, has told the club's hierarchy that he would like to add the talented 20-year-old to his squad during this month's transfer window.
But, in truth, the chances of Chelsea spending vast amounts of money this month are highly unlikely.
However, by the time the summer transfer window rolls around ahead of the start of the 2021/22 season, there is hope that the situation with the pandemic will be entirely different
And should the Blues still hold an interest in Haaland, who has scored 19 goals in 16 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund this season, they could have a greater chance of landing his signature.
That is because Haaland will leave Dortmund, with his agent Mino Raiola looking to secure him a move away from the Bundesliga heavyweights.
Haaland has a £68million release clause in his contract, but that does not become active until 2022, meaning any interested party would be forced to pay a much, much higher fee if they were to try and land his signature this forthcoming summer.
Deal completed
MK Dons have signed 21-year-old striker Charlie Brown on a permanent deal, ending his four-and-a-half-year star with Chelsea.
Chelsea signed Brown from Ispwich Town in 2016. He excelled in the youth ranks, scoring 53 goals in 108 appearances. He was also named the UEFA Youth League top goalscorer during the 2018/19 season when he scored 12 goals in nine games.
"I’m over the moon to be here," Brown told mkdons.com. "This is an opportunity I’ve been waiting for and I can’t wait to get on the pitch and show the fans what I can do."
