Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur waiting to make bid for Senegal forward
Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are waiting until July 31 to make a bid for Newcastle United’s striker Demba Ba, according to the Mirror.
The newspaper claims that Ba, who hit 16 goals in the Premier League last season, will be available for £7m by the end of July because of a clause in his contract .
This has both Chelsea and Spurs interested who would like to strengthen their attacking areas. The future of forwards Fernando Torres and Emmanuel Adebayor are unclear and both players may not be playing their football at Stamford Bridge and White Hart Lane next season.
Ba, who signed for Newcastle from West Ham on a free transfer last summer, was prolific in the early part of the season but his goals dried up when fellow Senegalese international Papiss Cisse arrived at the Sports Direct Arena.
Cisse’s presence meant that Ba was often deployed on the left of a front three and the 27-year-old may be happy to leave the north east if he is offered the chance to play down the middle again.
Lukaku: I deserve a chance
Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku thinks he deserves more chances in the first team and plans to address that problem when he talks with the new manager.
The Belgium international managed just one start and a further seven appearances as a substitute in the Premier League for the Blues this past season under former boss Andre Villas-Boas and his temporary successor Roberto Di Matteo.
Lukaku found himself behind Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres, Daniel Sturridge and Salomon Kalou in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, but is hoping for the opportunity to prove himself during pre-season as the 19-year-old believes he has what it takes to succeed at the west London club.
The teenager, who scored 33 goals in 73 league appearances for Belgian giants Anderlecht before heading to England in August 2011, will consider a loan move if he does not feature in the new boss' plans, although he could get his chance next season with Ivorian duo Drogba and Kalou set to leave Chelsea at the end of June.
"I will need to talk to the coach about my future," Lukaku told the Daily Star. "I hope for a coach next year who gives chances to young players, not like last year. If he does not want to talk to me, then I'm considering a loan.
"But at the moment my focus is on Chelsea. I will go with them on summer tour and I hope to get some new chances. I think I deserved more chances at Chelsea. What I really need is three months to prove myself.
"Last year I played a game, then nothing for three weeks except games with the reserves and then I was on the bench. That is not easy for a young player. I also said that to Chelsea and they understood my concerns.
"I have become a better player though. I lost weight, I move a lot more on the field and I really think I have the ability to play for Chelsea."