Chelsea news, transfers & rumours: Lewandowski contact made by Blues & live updates from Stamford Bridge

Chelsea have made contact with Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, according to <a href="https://sport.sky.de/fussball/artikel/fc-bayern-transfer-news-barca-chelsea-und-psg-wollen-lewandowski/12309403/34240" target="_blank">Sky Sport</a> in Germany. Lewandowski has enjoyed another stellar season in the Bundesliga and Bayern are in no mood to countenance the Poland international’s departure. However, that has not stopped rumours swirling around his future, with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain linked with an approach. Chelsea are also said to have made their interest known to Lewandowski, but the Premier League is not viewed as the most attractive destination for the forward, who reportedly has Spain as a preference if he is to move.

Chelsea make contact with Lewandowski

Fans will finally be allowed back into Premier League grounds this week and tonight's game against Leicester will give Timo Werner the first chance to play in front of a crowd at Stamford Bridge since joining Chelsea. The striker is looking forward to the occasion and is hoping it bodes well for fans being in stadiums next season. "For me, it’s always the best thing to play in front of a full stadium," Werner told <a href="https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/05/18/werner-excited-to-play-in-front-of-fans-again-as-he-explains-in-?cardIndex=0-1" target="_blank">Chelsea's matchday programme.</a> "Right now, it’s not possible, but even to play in front of some people who are screaming for Chelsea, in our home stadium, will be a very good feeling. "To reach the end of a difficult season like this and know that we have reached the moment when the people can be back in the stadium is a good thing, and it makes us more optimistic that when we return after the summer break we can have a normal season."

Werner ready to play in front of Chelsea fans

Supporters allowed into Stamford Bridge for Leicester game

Chelsea will be sweating on the fitness of N'Golo Kante after he was substituted in the 32nd-minute against Leicester City. Mateo Kovacic returned in his place in the same moment after over a month out injured, but there will now be concern about whether the 30-year-old will miss two crucial final games of the season. The Blues have four days to prepare for their final league game against Aston Villa on Sunday, while there's 10 days until their Champions League final with Manchester City.

Kante goes off injured, with Kovacic returning in his place

"It means a lot," he said. "I am following in the footsteps of some legends at the club. It is not over yet, they are three cup finals so, hopefully, I can finish this season on a high."

Mount on winning Chelsea's Player of the Year award

"Kai unfortunately got a little bit injured at Wembley," Tuchel said pregame. "He felt his hamstring slightly. Hopefully, we will have him back in the squad for Aston Villa on Sunday but we are not sure yet. "We do have Kova back on the bench, which gives us a huge boost."

Tuchel confirms Havertz injury 

<center> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"> Chelsea XI to face Leicester: Mendy; James, Thiago Silva, Rudiger; Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kante, Chilwell; Mount, Werner, Pulisic <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CFC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHELEI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHELEI</a> <a href="https://t.co/7gq4wmL6cW">pic.twitter.com/7gq4wmL6cW</a> — Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) <a href="https://twitter.com/NizaarKinsella/status/1394718397494145028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="async" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Lineup is in!

Cesar Azpilicueta is calling on Chelsea to finish the job and secure Champions League qualification with a top-four finish in the Premier League. Victory over Leicester tonight will keep Chelsea's top-four fate in their own hands and Azpilicueta wants his side to keep fully focused. "We have everything in our hands to finish third," Azpilicueta told <a href="https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/05/18/azpilicueta--we-ve-come-a-long-way-and-now-must-finish-the-job?cardIndex=0-0" target="_blank">the club's official website.</a>&nbsp;"It has been a long way to arrive where we are today and to have it in our hands. "In January, we were 10th and had a few teams in front of us. We had to do our job and also wait for the other teams to lose points but we’ve been climbing all the way and now we cannot give it away. "We have six points to play for and the next game is massive. We have to be fully focused because our target is to be in the Champions League next season and we have to make sure that we are ready."

Azpilicueta: Champions League is in our hands

Harry Kane may have indicated a desire to leave Tottenham in the summer, but interim manager Ryan Mason says the reported Chelsea target is focused on tomorrow's game against Aston Villa. Chelsea have been strongly linked with a move for Kane, with Premier League rivals Manchester City and Manchester United also said to be interested in the England captain. However, while Mason did not wish to look too far into the future regarding Kane, he stressed the striker is focused on their next game and hasn't been unsettled by the transfer rumours. <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/kane-100-per-cent-committed-for-tottenhams-game-against/4ssda94r54fx1o3i2px3kwpxv" target="_blank">Read the full story here</a>

Kane '100 per cent committed' amid transfer rumours

Timo Werner has been reflecting on his first season at Chelsea and has acknowledged there have been a lot of 'ups and downs'. The Germany international striker has scored just six goals in 33 Premier League appearances, but feels the foundations have been laid for a better season next term. "I think there were a lot of ups and downs," Werner told <a href="https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/05/18/werner-excited-to-play-in-front-of-fans-again-as-he-explains-in-?cardIndex=0-4" target="_blank">the club's official matchday programme</a> ahead of tonight's game against Leicester. "I started very well, then in the middle of the season I was struggling, and I had to adapt to the pace, the strength and the agility of the Premier League. But now, in the last two or three months, not that I’m scoring the goals, but in the end we are winning games. "So, until now, I can say it was maybe not the best season for me in terms of scoring, but in terms of how I developed and improved, and how I’ve adapted to the Premier League, it’s been a good step for me towards performing better for the whole season next time."

Werner reflects on debut season

Could Chelsea legend Frank Lampard soon be back in management? The former Blues boss has been heavily linked with taking over at Crystal Palace, and the Premier League club have now confirmed that Roy Hodgson is leaving his position at the end of the season. <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/hodgson-to-leave-crystal-palace-amid-reports-ex-chelsea-boss/om4u6ejp8fzw1fm1o4qbdgguq" target="_blank">Read the full story here</a>

Lampard's Palace links hot up

<center> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"> 'Alisson's header proved being superstitious didn't work!' 😅 'He took the FA Cup away and spent the night with it!' 🏆 Thomas Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers look forward to tonight's HUGE game between Chelsea and Leicester 🔵🦊 <a href="https://t.co/KsSosIQEAl">pic.twitter.com/KsSosIQEAl</a> — Goal (@goal) <a href="https://twitter.com/goal/status/1394591158513373187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="async" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Tuchel & Rodgers discuss tonight's game

"Maybe that’s too black and white [that success and failure is decided in these two weeks] but I also don’t want to be shy so I will say yes," Tuchel told reporters. "My feeling depends on how we look back at the season and if we bring it to the end then, yes, it is a completely different feeling. "The ambition is very clear and I can’t say now we are happy if we play two draws now and end up in fifth place. Because I am not, I am not. Then I will constantly have the feeling that we could have done better results-wise. "But if we get two red cards and end up in a draw with nine players then maybe I have to accept that this was the best outcome. That’s why I am a bit afraid to talk about it beforehand in black and white. I am not afraid to talk about my ambition. "That is very clear. But sometimes you have to accept that you don’t have full control over the result. I know very much what could be the best case."

Tuchel: The next two weeks define Chelsea's season

PSV are keen to secure the signing of Marco van Ginkel after he made his comeback from a 983-day injury during his&nbsp;loan from Chelsea. The 28-year-old is set to be released on a free transfer this summer and the Netherlands international is now ready to take the next step of his career. PSV have made Van Ginkel captain in recent matches and he has repaid them by completing almost a full match and scoring in the final game of the season. Van Ginkel hopes that he has proven his fitness across the six-month loan to earn a contract from Roger Schmidt's side. <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/football-didnt-matter-not-walked-again-chelsea-loanee-van-ginkel-/927ml2lmpdmn18byd8rjwcbmu" target="_blank">In an emotional re-telling of his story to Goal</a>, Van Ginkel spoke about his hellish time with injury where he almost lost his career.

PSV interested in signing Van Ginkel permanently

<center> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Mason Mount has won Chelsea's Player of the Year award which was voted for by fans. He will be presented with the award on the pitch tonight. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CFC</a> — Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) <a href="https://twitter.com/NizaarKinsella/status/1394568389218246656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="async" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Mount to receive POTY award tonight

<center> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Congratulations, <a href="https://twitter.com/masonmount_10?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MasonMount_10</a>! A worthy winner of the 2020/21 Men’s Player of the Year! 👏 <a href="https://t.co/YtDTGhEglF">pic.twitter.com/YtDTGhEglF</a> — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC/status/1394564352255172610?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="async" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></center>

Mount lands POTY prize

Thomas Tuchel admits it was 'not a good feeling' to leave Christian Pulisic out of Chelsea's starting line-up for the FA Cup final against Leicester. Pulisic had started the previous two games against Manchester City and Arsenal before appearing as a 68th minute substitute in the defeat by Leicester at Wembley. However, while Tuchel suggested the United States international deserved to start the game, he was concerned about the winger aggravating an injury. "For example would Christian Pulisic have deserved to play in the FA Cup final?" said Tuchel. "Yes, of course, and it was not a good feeling to not let him start. "But if he was in a risk of maybe re-injury and then he would be out for the next three matches, that would be the bigger regret for me."

Tuchel didn't want to take risks with Pulisic

Mendes responds to Ronaldo criticism of Portugal players

'Please leave him alone!' - Deschamps sends out Mbappe plea

Raphinha surprises wonderkid Yamal with £10k gold iPhone

Real Madrid midfielder announces shock retirement in emotional letter

Rodri admits he wouldn't have even chosen Vinicius Jr. as Ballon d'Or runner-up

‘Can't think long term’ – Ronaldo admits he may not reach 1,000 goals

Twellman reportedly investigated for physical altercation

Endrick set to be offered 'escape route' out of Real Madrid

Chelsea news, transfers & rumours: Lewandowski contact made by Blues & live updates from Stamford Bridge | Goal.com

Goal brings you all the latest news and transfer reports from Chelsea and our Blues correspondent Nizaar Kinsella