Chelsea news: Blues ‘hold Gavi talks’ as Frank Lampard addresses Champions League hopes

Chelsea face a tough challenge in the Champions League quarter-finals, having been drawn against 14-time champions Real Madrid

Chelsea are gearing up for the first leg of a huge Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid.

The Blues enter the tie as underdogs, having failed to secure a win in their last four games. They also recently sacked manager Graham Potter, with club legend Frank Lampard returning as caretaker boss.

However, Chelsea lost 1-0 to Wolves in his first game in charge and will be desperate to bounce back against Madrid. Here are the latest headlines from the club.

Blues open Gavi talks
Barcelona midfielder Gavi has been linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge this summer after La Liga refused to ratify the new deal he signed back in September.

Barcelona inserted a huge €1billion (£866m) release clause into Gavi’s new contract but they have been unable to register it due to their financial woes, with the Catalan giants billions of pounds in debt.

As a result, the 18-year-old midfielder remains on his youth deal and AS report that representatives from Chelsea have met Gavi’s agent to discuss a potential move to the Premier League

Gallardo ‘close’ to becoming Chelsea boss

Former River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo has emerged as a contender for the Chelsea job, with the Blues currently searching for Potter’s replacement.

Lampard was appointed interim boss until the end of the season after Potter was sacked earlier this month and Gallardo, who left River Plate last year after his contract expired, is said to be in the running for the role.

UOL claim that Gallardo is ‘close’ to being appointed, with Chelsea’s record signing Enzo Fernandez giving him the ‘go-ahead’ having played under him at River Plate.

Lampard on Champions League hopes

With Chelsea currently 11th in the Premier League and 17 points off the top four, they essentially need to win this year’s Champions League to ensure qualification for next year’s edition of the tournament.

And Lampard, who lifted the trophy with Chelsea as a player in 2012, is hopeful they can pull off an upset in their quarter-final clash with 14-time winners Real Madrid.

“There’s a lot of work to be done but we’re very committed to trying to, if we can, create our own little bit of history,” he insisted.