The Unimaginable!!

Chelsea FC are still keen on signing Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund – but want to negotiate down the German club’s asking price, according to reports.

Juventus forward, Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi, will both miss out on this year’s Ballon d’Or award.

Skipper Mikel John Obi was joined on the chartered flight from Abuja to London on Wednesday afternoon by deputy skipper Ogenyi Onazi, defender Kenneth Omeruo, pacy winger Ahmed Musa and 21 other players as the Super Eagles headed for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals. There will be stop-overs in London and Austria.

Mikel, Onazi, Omeruo and Musa all represented Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, and alongside Chelsea FC wingback Victor Moses (who was also in Brazil and who will join the contingent in London) constitute the spine of a young squad inspired to dazzle the world in Russia.

The Super Eagles will train at the Wembley Stadium (venue of Saturday’s clash with England’s Three Lions) between 5pm-6pm on Friday, after a pre-match press conference scheduled for the Stadium’s conference room at 4.15pm.

Saturday’s encounter, the third official match between two countries with considerable historical affinity, will start at 5.15pm.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria team has confirmed that forward Moses Simon, who was earlier ruled out of the finals due to injury, will undergo further medical checks in the United Kingdom to ascertain the seriousness of his injury.

THE TEAM

Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho; Daniel Akpeyi; Ikechukwu Ezenwa

Defenders: Abdullahi Shehu; Olaoluwa Aina; Tyronne Ebuehi; William Ekong; Leon Balogun; Chidozie Awaziem; Elderson Echiejile; Kenneth Omeruo; Bryan Idowu
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi; Mikel John Obi; Ogenyi Onazi; John Ogu; Mikel Agu; Oghenekaro Etebo; Joel Obi

Forwards: Odion Ighalo; Simeon Nwankwo; Alex Iwobi; Ahmed Musa; Kelechi Iheanacho. Moses Simon (further checks in the UK); Victor Moses (to join team in London)

Diego Costa has been advised by Atletico Madrid to end his Chelsea exile in Brazil and return to help push through a January move back to the Spanish capital, reports the Mail.
The Spain international has refused to return to the Blues' Cobham base this summer after being frozen out of Antonio Conte's first-team plans.
The 28-year-old has complicated his exit by insisting on an Atletico return, which failed to be finalised before Friday's La Liga transfer deadline.
Los Colchoneros aren't prepared to meet the Premier League champions' £50 million valuation, though they have offered £40 million for their former striker, with a prompt return to training now recommended to ease tension ahead of a January move.

Barkley to join Spurs in January

Ross Barkley will join Tottenham once the January transfer window opens, claims the Mirror, after Chelsea agreed to a £35 million fee for the Everton star on transfer deadline day.
The England international took to social media on Saturday, though, rejecting speculation that he underwent a medical with the Blues before opting to remain at Goodison.
Spurs are looking to strike a cut price deal in January, with just six months remaining on the 23-year-old's contract.

Milan derby for Vidal

Arturo Vidal will be at the centre of a battle between AC Milan and Inter moving forward, reports Tuttosport.
The Chilean is highly thought of in Italy after his four-year spell with Juventus.
The 30-year-old will have one year remaining on his deal at Bayern Munich next summer, which could tempt the Bundesliga champions to recoup most of their £33 million investment from 2015.

Wilshere rejected huge Birmingham offer

Jack Wilshere knocked back the chance to move to Birmingham on deadline day, and the Mirror claims that the Blues offered the Arsenal midfielder £90,000 per week to join them for the season.
Harry Redknapp was desperate to land the 25-year-old to boost his team's hopes of promotion.
But the England international was unprepared to drop down a league at this stage of his career, and after Arsene Wenger included him in his Premier League squad, Wilshere will now fight for his place at the Emirates with just a year left on his current deal.

Tap-ins

-- Riyad Mahrez prematurely left the Algeria camp on deadline day in hope of clinching a move to Manchester United, reports the Star.
The Leicester man was reportedly available to clinch a late exit from the KP Stadium, but interest cooled from Europe's biggest clubs.
The Foxes knocked back bids from Roma earlier in the summer, but they did not receive any more offers on the window's final day.

-- Philippe Coutinho has been given no assurances in the same way Luis Suarez received in 2013 that he will be granted a move to Barcelona a year after being denied a transfer, claims the Mirror.
The Reds' owners, Fenway Sports Group, will not make any guarantees to the Brazilian, who is thought to be devastated after seeing his dream move to the Camp Nou fail to materialise. The 25-year-old will now return from international duty fully fit and ready to continue his career at Anfield.
-- Although the transfer window will not open in Europe for another few months, free agents such as Bacary Sagna can still be signed.
The Mail reports that the 34-year-old will soon decide on his new club, with Torino, Sporting Lisbon and Benfica leading the race ahead of Brighton and West Ham.

Towards the end of last season, we looked at the 15 potentially most important players for Chelsea in the 2016-17 Premier League title run-in.
With a brand new campaign under way and the summer transfer window shut, some have departed or slipped, while others have grown in importance. Here's Antonio Conte's revised list of crucial performers.
This list is not extensive and has been ranked according to varying factors. Some players still with a part to play, like Kenedy, have been omitted. And there are some notable names missing too -- more on them later.
Performance, potential, the ability to make an impact and influence the course of a game, other options in that area of the field, the ability or inability to replace them and market value have all played a part in revising the 15.
1. N'Golo Kante (no change)
It may be some time before we see Tiemoue Bakayoko in full flow and Cesc Fabregas is defensively limited, meaning Kante's energy and intelligence will be crucial regardless of who he is paired with. He should also help former Leicester City teammate Danny Drinkwater settle quickly at Stamford Bridge.
2. Eden Hazard (+3)
Diego Costa's exile means Hazard is now Chelsea's most reliable match winner as well as their most talented player. Conte's men may not have struggled for goals without him in their opening three Premier League matches, but they know they will need their superstar back for the tougher challenges that lie ahead.
3. Alvaro Morata (new entry)
Conte's new "point of reference" is still adapting to the physical demands of the Premier League as well as his coach's tactical requirements, though he has made a positive start. Chelsea need him to be an elite No.9 if they are to have any hope of meeting their Premier League and Champions League ambitions.
4. Marcos Alonso (+4)
Chelsea's failure to prise Alex Sandro from Juventus has heightened Alonso's importance to the success of Conte's 3-4-3 system. Kenedy is the only player in the squad with a similar skill set, and he is not in the same class. Then there are the Spaniard's stunning free kicks, and his knack for scoring key goals.
5. Cesar Azpilicueta (-1)
Now vice-captain at Stamford Bridge, Azpilicueta has embraced a leadership role and remains invaluable on the pitch, courtesy of his reliability and consistency anywhere across Conte's backline. Deadline day signing Davide Zappacosta may also appreciate his positional guidance as much as Victor Moses did last season.
6. David Luiz (-4)
Still a defender quite unlike any other, though Andreas Christensen's return from loan means Conte now has another ball-playing defender who can step in for Luiz if needed. The Brazilian won't be easy to displace, though, having silenced his critics with a career-best season and emerged as a dressing-room leader.
7. Thibaut Courtois (no change)
Conte would prefer Courtois to enjoy as many quiet days as possible this season, but having the Belgian as a last line of defence must be a powerful source of reassurance. He is well protected but generally delivers when called upon, foiling Harry Kane a couple of times at Wembley last month.
8. Cesc Fabregas (+2)
Chelsea need someone to provide the imagination within Conte's structure, and Fabregas sees passes no one else in this squad does. The Spain international registered more assists (12) in the Premier League than any other Blues player last season despite starting just 13 games. As long as Hazard is out, he's even more vital.
9. Pedro Rodriguez (no change)
His start to the season disrupted by facial fractures and an ankle knock, Pedro is yet to score but his protective face mask didn't appear to inhibit him in the 2-0 win against Everton. The former Barcelona man's darting runs and lethal finishing provide balance for Conte's front three, and he can lessen the scoring burden on Morata.
10. Willian (+3)
A maligned figure among some Chelsea supporters, the Brazilian reminded everyone of his quality with an excellent performance supporting Morata against Tottenham. He still doesn't score enough goals, but with Hazard out he is the only attacker Conte has who can frequently dribble beyond defenders.
11. Gary Cahill (-5)
Suspended for his brainless red card on the opening day against Burnley, Cahill's enforced absence has allowed others to show the defensive quality that lies beyond Chelsea's starting XI. The England international's status has deservedly grown with the captaincy, but his place in the team is less secure than ever.
12. Tiemoue Bakayoko (new entry)
A promising debut against Tottenham when well short of full fitness suggests Bakayoko will climb this list before too long. He already looks more dynamic with and without the ball than the departed Nemanja Matic, and playing with countryman Kante regularly should put him in the ideal position to grow.
13. Michy Batshuayi (new entry)
A promising preseason has allowed Batshuayi to gain a little more of Conte's trust, but not enough to prevent the Italian from pushing Chelsea hard to sign Fernando Llorente this summer. Doubts remain over the 23-year-old's suitability as a lone striker but he is the only cover for Morata -- at least until January.
14. Andreas Christensen (new entry)
Plunged into a bad situation from the substitutes' bench against Burnley, Christensen looked impressively assured against Tottenham at Wembley and has done enough since returning from a two-year spell at Borussia Monchengladbach to convince Conte that he is "ready to play for Chelsea".

15. Victor Moses (-3)

Zappacosta's arrival from Torino presents Moses with the first genuine competition he has encountered since transforming from a nomadic Premier League winger into a swashbuckling wing-back. Across all competitions there should be enough minutes to go around, but his position is no longer assured.
Summer signings Antonio Rudiger, Drinkwater, Zappacosta and Willy Caballero are missing from the list. This should not reflect badly on them; it is more a sign that much of Chelsea's transfer activity this summer was filling out around the edges of a title-winning core, rather than major upgrades.