Chelsea have registered an interest in Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone, 90min understands.

The Blues are looking to bolster in midfield this summer and have added plenty of names to their shortlist, at the top of which is West Ham United’s Declan Rice.

There are plenty of suitors for Rice, however, and so Chelsea are exploring all their options. 90min reported in January that Southampton’s Romeo Lavia was once again of interest to the London side, who failed with a bid to sign the Belgian last summer.

Now, sources have confirmed that Gladbach starlet Kone has played his way onto Chelsea’s radar.

The 21-year-old defensive midfielder has been sensational for Gladbach and has attracted significant interest from across Europe, with Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain both known admirers of Kone.

In the Premier League, Liverpool and Newcastle have both scouted Kone this year ahead of a summer departure from Gladbach which is becoming increasingly likely.

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Chelsea are now firmly in the fight for Kone who, at 21, fits the profile for the Blues’ new owners as a young star with plenty of top-flight potential.

Kone was recently asked about the interest in him, admitting to Le Parisien that he is honoured to see so many big clubs watching him.

“I live well with rumours, I don’t pay attention to everything that is said. It’s more my entourage and my friends who send me the articles,” he explained. “It’s a source of pride for them to see my name associated with big clubs, but it doesn’t make me hot or cold. I prefer to finish my season quietly. Afterward, what must happen will happen.”

Asked specifically about the interest of PSG and a possible return to the city of his birth, Paris, Kone insisted the only deciding factor for him when it comes to a transfer would be the game time on offer.

“It’s true that I’m Parisian,” he acknowledged. “I was born and trained here. There is a logical link.

“But whether it’s Paris or another club, I don’t care. I just want to play football. In Monchengladbach, I play. So if I have to leave, I’ll think about playing first.”

RB Leipzig centre-back Josko Gvardiol has confessed the club have no interest in selling him this summer, despite widespread interest from across Europe.

The likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid have all expressed an interest in the 21-year-old, who penned a contract extension last summer to tie him to the Bundesliga side until 2027.

90min understands Gvardiol’s contract includes a release clause of €100m which becomes active in 2024, so any sale this year will have to be negotiated directly with Leipzig – something Gvardiol does not believe his current employers are prepared to do.

“The club is not interested in selling me this summer, so there is no point in talking about anything else,” Gvardiol told a press conference.

“The most important thing is to end this season in Leipzig in the best possible way.”

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Among Gvardiol’s suitors are Manchester City and Pep Guardiola, after whom the Leipzig defender is nicknamed due to the similarities in their surnames.

The due were seen speaking after City’s Champions League last-16 victory over Leipzig earlier this month, but Gvardiol declined to reveal what was said.

“I extended my hand to Guardiola and congratulated him on advancing in the Champions League,” the defender said. “Guardiola, a great coach, threw a few words at me, but I will keep them to myself.”

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On this edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey & Toby Cudworth discuss the race to sign Jude Bellingham, Roy Hodgson’s return to Crystal Palace, Erling Haaland’s contract, Mason Mount & more!

If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!

Bayern Munich and Barcelona have joined the lengthy list of clubs scouting Republic of Ireland forward Evan Ferguson, 90min understands.

Ferguson has burst onto the scene this season at Brighton and Hove Albion under Roberto Di Zerbi, becoming a key player for the Italian manager. Despite being just 18 years old, Ferguson has managed to score seven goals and bag three assists in 16 games for the high-fyling Premier League club.

The 18-year-old also recently made his debut for Republic of Ireland’s senior team, scoring in the Boys in Green’s 3-2 win over Latvia at the Aviva Stadium.

This form has, as expected, caught the eye of a number of Europe’s top clubs. 90min understands that Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are the latest of these clubs to scout Ferguson, watching the forward’s impressive Ireland debut at the Aviva on Wednesday.

Along with Bayern, SSC Napoli and Barcelona have also watched Ferguson, with sources close to Barca telling 90min that the club see him as a ‘player of huge potential’.

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There’s plenty of Premier League interest too. Chelsea, Newcastle United and Liverpool have all scouted the Irish striker – the latter of which have been aware of Ferguson since his breakthrough at Bohemians when he was just 16 years old – while Manchester United have kept an eye on Ferguson and his compatriot Andy Moran’s progress throughout this season. Moran – another Irish youngster – has been restricted to under-23 football for most of the season but could be set for a breakthrough into the Brighton first-team in the near future.

Despite the huge amount of interest, 90min understands that Ferguson isn’t in a hurry to leave Brighton. The forward is very happy at the club and is in line for a new, much improved, contract at the Amex Stadium.

On this edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey & Toby Cudworth discuss the race to sign Jude Bellingham, Roy Hodgson’s return to Crystal Palace, Erling Haaland’s contract, Mason Mount & more!

If you can’t see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!