Chelsea have stepped up their pursuit of one player who’s now effectively ruled out every other destination this summer, according to reliable journalist David Ornstein.

The Blues are expected to be very busy in terms of both incomings and outgoings before the transfer deadline on September 1.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season	Average match rating
Cole Palmer	7.33
Moises Caicedo	7.02
Enzo Fernández	6.95
Nicolas Jackson	6.88
Noni Madueke	6.82
via WhoScored

Enzo Maresca has already watched Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Mathis Amougou, Djordje Petrovic, João Félix, Armando Broja, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Lesley Ugochukwu leave Stamford Bridge this summer, raising nearly £220 million transfer fees.

This has allowed Chelsea to balance out the squad and make room for key new additions, with UEFA pressuring the west Londoners to produce a ‘positive transfer balance’, or face an inability to register summer signings for next season’s Champions League.

With more also expected to depart, Chelsea are currently in talks to seal a few further incomings as BlueCo give Maresca their full backing.

Chelsea have been linked with RB Leipzig sensation Xavi Simons for a while now, and it looks like things are seriously heating up.

Maresca’s side are advanced in their talks and The Netherlands international has removed Leipzig from his Instagram bio – a clear indicator that his move to London is gaining traction with Chelsea reliably believed to be far down the line in negotiations.

Some reports even suggest that Chelsea have reached a “total agreement” for Simons and only the final details are to be ironed out, but this is yet to be backed up by the wider media.

Simons isn’t the only player who’s dropped hints about a potential move to Chelsea on Instagram, either, with Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho deploying similar social media tactics.

The Argentine boldly liked a post from Fabrizio Romano linking him with a switch to London, which is again seen as a clear suggestion that he wants to join them.

Tottenham and Aston Villa have been named as alternative landing spots for Garnacho who’s determined to leave Old Trafford, but according to Ornstein, Chelsea face zero threat from either of them.

Alejandro Garnacho rules out every other club but Chelsea

The reporter, in an update on X, states that Garnacho only wants Chelsea ‘or nothing’.

For The Athletic, Ornstein writes that talks are ‘now advanced’ for the 22-year-old, who’s effectively ruled out all other options but a switch to Cobham.

In a further boost for Chelsea, United have been forced to drop their previous asking price of £70 million to around £50 million, as per the BBC, so Maresca could see the exciting winger join his squad in a cut-price deal.

Garnacho’s public Red Devils fallout could be cause for concern over his attitude, but The Telegraph report that Chelsea are satisfied with his personality after conducting extensive background checks.