Talks happening now: Arsenal transfer target willing to join Chelsea instead

He added: “There has been a suggestion that Chelsea have put a 2-year contract on the table, but negotiations are happening now as I type this.

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“Stones is appealed by Xabi Alonso, and he has always had a soft spot for Chelsea, having come fairly close to joining them some years back.”

Chelsea looking to add more experience

It seems that Chelsea’s transfer strategy has shifted this summer, with the club more open to doing deals for proven and experienced names.

Morgan Rogers is not exactly old, but he arrives as a proven Premier League player in a way that other recent signings such as Willian Estevao did not.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have also shown an interest in Granit Xhaka, and Stones is another experienced old head who’d add the kind of leadership this team has so often lacked.

It could be a blow for Arsenal, however, to miss out on a decent option like this available on a free, as they’d surely ideally like to avoid spending huge money on cover for Saliba.