Chelsea handed huge Xavi Simons transfer boost as £40m move edges closer

Joao Felix is on the verge of becoming an Al-Nassr player with Chelsea set to receive more than £40million for the Portugal international, football.london understands.

The 25-year-old was re-signed by the Blues last summer but was sent on loan to AC Milan in January due to a lack of game time at Stamford Bridge. Despite failing to impress at the San Siro, Chelsea now look set to - more or less - recoup the £45million they paid Atletico Madrid last summer for the Portuguese's services.

Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr are closing in on a move for Felix, with the versatile attacker set to join his international teammate Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Awwal Park. If this deal does get over the line, it will hand the west Londoners a significant boost in their pursuit of signing Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig. Chelsea would ideally like to sell before buying after already spending almost £150million this summer on incomings.

Chelsea entered club-to-club talks with RB Leipzig on Wednesday with an agreement over a fee for the Netherlands international the topic of conversation. Talks with Simons' entourage started earlier in the week, with well renowned agent Ali Barat involved and a broad agreement over personal terms was reached within the space of 48 hours. Simons made it clear he wanted to move to Stamford Bridge, with the Dutchman a long-term follower of the west London club, as exclusively revealed onfootball.london.

Negotiations between Chelsea and Leipzig are progressing well, sources close to the deal have informed football.london, though an agreement has not been reached yet. By all accounts, though, there is a confidence from all sides that Simons will become a Chelsea player this summer.

The Blues are looking at adding another Dutchman to their squad in the near future as well. The west Londoners have their sights on Jorrel Hato and talks are underway with Ajax over a deal for the 19-year-old defender. Negotiations were described to football.london as 'advanced' on Wednesday evening and Hato, who was left out of the Ajax squad for their pre-season friendly against Celtic on Thursday evening, has given the green light to the move.

Chelsea are heating up their business in the transfer market, although suggestions the Blues are interested in making a move for wantaway striker Alexander Isak are understood to be wide of the mark. The Blues are more than happy with the attacking options already at the club following the double signing of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap. Chelsea want to go into the 2025/26 season with two out-and-out strikers and one versatile attacker who can occupy numerous roles across the front line, football.london understands.

In Joao Pedro, they already have the versatile option. And in Delap and Nicolas Jackson, they have the more traditional No.9s. Jackson has been strongly linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge but the Senegal international is not for sale. Chelsea do not view Jackson as untouchable, so to speak, but are planning on him being with the rest of the squad for the upcoming season.

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