Chelsea find 'no-brainer' Nkunku partner as $133m move wrecks transfer plan

Chelsea transfer news: The latest Blues media briefing with reactions to stories on Paulo Dybala's bargain release clause, Declan Rice's move to Arsenal and Moises Caicedo

Welcome to thefootball.london transfer briefing. To help you keep on top of all things Chelsea going on in the market we've got the latest noises coming from social media, journalists and so-called ITKs, rounding up what's what in the world of the Blues.

Dybala on radar

Chelsea are considering a move for AS Roma star Paulo Dybala this summer. The World Cup winner has a bargain release clause worth only £10 million ($12.7m) and could be on the move despite only joining Jose Mourinho's side last summer.

Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport has claimed Mauricio Pochettino is keen to trigger the clause to bring Dybala to the Premier League. The Argentine is looking to bolster his attacking options ahead of next season, having already welcomed Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson to the club this summer.

Despite being available for so cheap, Dybala would demand a big salary after becoming one of Roma's highest earners last summer.

football.london says: Dybala isn't the talisman striker that many believe Chelsea should be signing, but he is certainly an improvement on what we have saw at Stamford Bridge for some time.

He has scored 110 goals in 296 appearances throughout his time in Italy. As well as being able to play as a striker, the 29-year-old can also play as a shadow striker or as a number ten, meaning he will tick-off a number of Pochettino's pressing issues at Cobham.

While similar to Nkunku given his low-gravity playing style, a dream partnership between the two could really help Chelsea next season. At only £10m, the prospect of signing Dybala is simply a no-brainer with Pochettino keen to sign him during his time at Tottenham.

Rice impacts Caicedo move

The Gunners are closing in on a £105m deal to sign Rice this summer. Previously, Brighton have shown their resilience in being difficult to negotiate with.

If Todd Boehly is to land the Ecuadorian, they may be forced to cough up another £100m.

football.london says: Now we just knew this was going to happen. Chelsea really only have themselves to blame after outspending most of Europe in January to buy Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for £106m.

Arsenal's move to sign Rice has set another precedent amid the high demand of world-class midfielders. Unfortunately for Pochettino, they will now feel the effects of this. Brighton are well in their right to demand such a high figure for their most expensive asset.

N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic leaving the club leaves Chelsea with no choice but to invest in their midfield. Caicedo is exactly what Pochettino is looking for and has proved his worth in the last two seasons. The question remains, will Boehly sanction another £100m to get Chelsea's man?