Chelsea FC

Conor Gallagher is back at Chelsea but he certainly won't be on penalty duty next season after taking a dreadful penalty against MLS side Charlotte FC.

Whatever. It's reality that counts, and every day in training and matches like these count. "So, it doesn't matter what I have in my mind. Next up for the Blues is a match with Arsenal in the Florida Cup, on Sunday, and if it goes to penalties there's one young English midfielder who might not be asked to step up this time... All that matters what we see on the pitch. From there we go." The midfielder, who was on loan at Crystal Palace last season, impressed in the team's first pre season game against Club America but his spot kick was not in keeping with his form.

The focus in Chelsea's first preseason match over the weekend was purely on fitness, to get the legs moving in a semi-competitive match setting.

This was simply not good enough for the effort and quality we showed in the first 80 metres of the pitch and the amount of space we had, and the number of attacks we created, there were not enough clear chances and deliveries in the last 20 metres. “[It] doesn’t matter what I have in my mind, the only thing that matters is what I see on the pitch. “Second half, it took us half an hour to show some quality and then it was maybe for ten minutes, so it was not good at all. The last 20 metres of the pitch were not good enough, even in the first half. And while it was a bit better in the first-half, that performance was quite incomplete as well. That focus has started to shift a bit towards the tactical for yesterday’s game, our second friendly of the summer.

Chelsea are kidding themselves if they think a new forward isn't a must, Thomas Tuchel needs midfield steel - and to sell deadwood... FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED ...

Think of the money that those sort of players could accumulate in the transfer window and the replacements that could be bought - Jules Kounde and a striker to begin with. Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho are also competent options. Everybody knows that a big squad is required in the modern game - and the return of five substitutes in the Premier League this season will require greater depth - but still, Chelsea are carrying far too many passengers. There are plenty of players in the squad who have only ever shown flashes of their brilliance and who, in the depths of a brutal campaign, will not get regular game-time. Chelsea fans finally got a glimpse of the front three that they can expect to lead their team into the new season - unless they dramatically sign a new striker in the coming weeks. Tuchel opted to play Havertz as a central striker in the second half in North Carolina with England duo Sterling and Mount flanking him. Think back to last season's pair of domestic cup final defeats against Liverpool and the way Chelsea wilted in the glare of a penalty shootout would not have happened in previous teams. The same goes for both Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ross Barkley. Both have been at the club for years but neither have ever had a constant run in the side. They are tidy in possession but neither possesses the desire to carry out the dirty work that midfielders must do - especially when they play as a pair. Chelsea urgently need defenders and a new striker so it seems central midfield is way down the list of priorities for Tuchel and new owner Todd Boehly. Kai Havertz was the lone Chelsea forward in the second half but is not a natural goal scorer It seems pretty obvious that when Chelsea allowed Romelu Lukaku to return to Inter Milan on loan that they should have been prioritising the signing of a new No 9.

Chelsea fell to defeat in their second friendly of the summer as Charlotte FC earned a win via penalties.

That's what we are so sure, and that's why it was like for us top of the list." The introduction of his leadership was expected but Sterling has also proposed a level for Callum Hudson-Odoi to reach. The main point is his intensity and the amount of repetition of intensity that he delivers. It's exactly what we need to raise the level of our players, that they understand what is needed. The Chelsea boss was not happy with the lack of quality produced by his side, particularly in the second period. Tuchel said: "Second half, it took us half an hour to show some quality and then it was maybe for ten minutes, so it was not good at all.

CHELSEA lost to Charlotte FC on penalties last night after a horrendous spot kick by Conor Gallagher.The Blues took the lead through Christian Pulisic.

"The last 20 metres of the pitch were not good enough, even in the first half. It was not good enough." But we knew.

Chelsea continued their pre-season tour of the United States with a draw versus MLS side Charlotte FC, before losing on penalties in an important warm-up ...

The last game in the States should be a good one." I was able to spend some time in the summer and now to meet up with the team in the States was great for me. I'm looking forward to continuing to grind and get better."

Roughly $359 million will be put toward a revolving credit facility, with $598 million used for a term loan. JPMorgan and Bank of America are involved in the ...

When Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital combined to spend an initial £2.5bn on Chelsea Football Club, everyone involved knew that those funds alone weren't ...

As for the record £800m finance, income is reportedly being structured as £300m of revolving financial credit, meaning it is freely accessible to be taken out, used, repaid and then withdrawn again. The debt, which is reported in the Financial Times, will have multiple purposes beyond spending money for new players. When Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital combined to spend an initial £2.5bn on Chelsea Football Club, everyone involved knew that those funds alone weren't going to cover their investment.

US billionaire, Todd Boehly and investment firm, Clearlake Capital have inked a financing arrangement that will see the club taking a £500 million term loan ...

‘Under the terms of the sale of the club to the Todd Boehly-led consortium, which was led by US merchant bank Raine Group, restrictions were placed on future debt levels. The £500 million term loan will form part of the £1.75 billion pledged by the Todd Borglum-led consortium for further investment for the benefit of the club which includes investments in Stamford Bridge, the Academy, the Women’s Team and Kingsmeadow and continued funding for the Chelsea Foundation, while the revolving credit faculty of £300million is for working capital purposes. The new owners of English football club, Chelsea FC have agreed to a staggering debt package worth £800million to help in reshaping the operations of the London club and to help fund the ambitious plans of the club.