Chelsea want to sign two Newcastle stars in a possible swap for Liam Delap
Chelsea now want to sign two Newcastle stars and one unhappy under Eddie Howe, and Liam Delap could go the other way to St. James’.
Newcastle face significant summer exits as Howe plans to rebuild
Newcastle are facing one of their toughest summers in recent years, with departures confirmed and a number of top-class players attracting interest elsewhere.
Kieran Trippier has announced he will leave at the end of the season when his contract expires, ending his time at St James’ Park after more than 150 appearances and two Champions League appearances.
Fabian Schar is in a similar situation, with his contract set to expire this summer, leaving Newcastle facing a potential defensive rebuild.
Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall have both attracted interest from top clubs, adding further uncertainty to the back line.
Sandro Tonali continues to be linked with a move, with Arsenal and Man United among the clubs monitoring his situation, while Anthony Gordon is interested in Liverpool and other rivals.
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The expectation is that at least one significant sale will be required to balance the books.
In that picture, Chelsea are now believed to be looking at the possibility of poaching a few of Howe’s stars.
Chelsea are targeting Lewis Hall and Nick Woltemade
According to journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea are looking forward to the possibility of signing Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade this summer, along with Hall.
The interest has a direct link to the ongoing speculation linking Newcastle with Liam Delap: if Howe’s side make the Blues striker, Chelsea plan to use that as an opportunity to discuss Woltemade as part of any negotiations.
But Phillips has made it clear that Chelsea’s interest in the German is not dependent on the Delap deal being completed.
“Chelsea see an opportunity to sign him, even if Newcastle don’t want Delap,” said Phillips, via his Substack.
“They know Newcastle need to sell some players this summer, and Woltemade is not happy there.”
The particular angle Chelsea are pushing is local.
Woltemade has spent most of his time at Newcastle operating as an attacking midfielder rather than a central midfielder, a role he is willing to accept but doesn’t show his natural preference for.
Chelsea are willing to offer him a striker position, which Phillips reports is where the 23-year-old ultimately wants to play.
“Although he is accepting his role, he would always prefer to play as a striker – and Chelsea are looking to offer that,” added the journalist.
Woltemade joined Newcastle from Werder Bremen last summer as one of the players who wanted to sign in the window.
His first season in English football was uneventful, and the combination of his frustration and Newcastle’s financial situation created an opportunity that Chelsea seemed ready to explore.
Hall is also on their agenda.
Phillips says in his Substack that Chelsea have begun to explore the possibility of bringing the defender back to Stamford Bridge, where he attended school before joining Newcastle.
Chelsea retain a sell-on clause in Hall’s contract but no option to buy, meaning any deal would require Newcastle’s cooperation and a full transfer fee.
However, Phillips is cautious about this.
He notes that sources suggest Hall is unlikely to consider a return to Chelsea at this point in his career, and is holding off on expecting anything tangible to develop. Currently, it is sitting in the testing phase.
Both situations are clearly the ones to watch as the summer window approaches.
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