Calum MacFarlane will take charge of Chelsea when they face Leeds United in the FA CUp semi-finals at Wembley on Sunday.
The Englishman has been appointed as caretaker head coach of the Blues following the dismissal of Liam Rosenior on Wednesday night, in the wake of a run of five Premier League defeats without scoring.
MacFarlane previously took charge of the west London outfit following Enzo Maresca’s sacking in January, overseeing an impressive 1-1 draw against Manchester City, before slumping to a 2-1 defeat against west London rivals Fulham.
Ahead of their trip to Wembley, it has emerged that one of Chelsea’s transfer targets could cost as much as £70 million.
As per CaughtOffside, Dutch midfielder Kees Smit could cost somewhere in the region of £50-70 million if he departs AZ Alkmaar this summer.
The report claims that several sides – including Chelsea and Manchester United – are interested in the central midfielder, who has shone for AZ this season.
Smit is on the radar of both Chelsea and Manchester United (Photo: Sipa US/Alamy)
The 20-year-old is a product of the Dutch side’s youth system and has already played 75 times for the club at senior level, scoring seven goals and registering 12 assists.
So far this season he has featured 44 times, helping his side to win the Dutch Cup.
Smit’s performances have attracted significant attention from several of EUrope’s top clubs ahead of this summer’s window, and the report claims that AZ have tasked ‘super agent’ Jorge Mendes with handling negotiations during the upcoming window.
The Dutchman’s contract with AZ is set to run until the end of the 2027/28 campaign, but it appears increasingly likely that he will leave his current side this summer.
AZ’s valuation of around £70 million for the midfielder is said to reflect not only his current value, but also his long-term potential.
