Chelsea look to make changes after dismal display against Leeds United

The obligatory ‘we must move on’ echoed round the corridors of the Cobham training ground this week, as Chelsea look to address the alarming performance at Leeds on Sunday.

Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel suggested that they were the better side for the first 20 minutes.

Sadly their game lasted 90 minutes and they were hammered 3-0. Chelsea sit uncomfortably in 12th place in the Premier League.

While much distraction centres around the possible arrivals of Everton young gun Anthony Gordon and Wesley Fofana from Leicester, Tuchel will have to decide whether to keep Conor Gallagher in midfield or risk bringing back Mateo Kovacic.

Gallagher did not cover himself in glory in his first start for the Blues at Elland Road. It was an audition he will hope rates a recall, but one suspects it will be a case of acting as stand-in for the Croatian.

There will also be cases for a recall of Ben Chilwell to left-back at the expense of new boy Marc Cucurella, while Kai Havertz might be rested allowing Raheem Sterling to take the centre-forward slot with Christian Pulisic operating on the left.

West Ham have bought Italian left-back Emerson Palmieri for £15m.

He made 71 appearances in four and a half years at Stamford Bridge, and scored two goals.

Guro Reiten has penned a three-year contract extension at Chelsea Women. The Norwegian winger, 28, joined the Blues in 2019.

Reiten said: “We’ve already achieved so much during my time here at the club and I really can’t wait to see what we can do next.

“A big thank you to all the fans, they have been a huge support throughout, and I look forward to seeing them all this weekend ahead of our new season.”

General manager Paul Green said: “Her goals and assists have been vital to the team’s success in the last few years.

“We look forward to seeing her continue to improve and develop in the upcoming years here at Chelsea.”

Jorja Fox has also signed a new deal until 2025 and was quickly dispatched to the South Coast to join Brighton on a season-long loan.

Other movements have seen fellow young Blue Emma Thompson heading to Lewes for a season-long loan, and Lucy Watson going on loan to Charlton.

Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger has revealed her cancer has returned.

She said: “I wanted to update fans directly that unfortunately, after four years of living cancer-free, there has been a recurrence detected in my thyroid.

“I’ve said before that as a sportsperson you have to fight every day to be the best you can be and that’s something I will continue to do and I hope by sharing my journey, I can help others that find themselves in a similar situation.

“I am working closely with my club doctor and specialist in London and my treatment will start this week.

“I remain positive that my treatment will be as effective as last time and I’m looking forward to returning to the pitch and seeing you all at Kingsmeadow and Stamford Bridge.”

The Blues face Spurs at Stamford Bridge on Sunday in the final pre-season friendly ahead of the start of their defence of the WSL title the following week.

Chelsea have four players in Sarina Wiegman’s England squad ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Austria and Luxembourg – Millie Bright, Jess Carter and Beth England retain their slots in the Lionesses squad that won the Euros in the summer, while Lauren James has earned a call up. Fran Kirby is excluded.

Wiegman said of Kirby: “It is too early for her. She should be okay. She hasn’t had too much training, so she just needs more time.”
On James, she said: “Lauren has played some minutes for Chelsea over the summer and we want to give her a chance and see what she can do with the national team.”