Sun, Aug 23, 2026
No match was played, so the day's Chelsea news was driven by two confirmed pieces of business: Joao Pedro signed an improved contract running to 2034 and took over the club's No. 9 shirt (announced by Chelsea Saturday; reported by AP, AFP and PA), and centre-back Benoit Badiashile joined Napoli on loan, officially confirmed by Napoli with a €3m loan fee and a €20m purchase option per Sky Sport's Gianluca Di Marzio (BBC Sport puts the option at £23.1m). The availability headline is a suspension rather than a knock: Wesley Fofana misses Monday's Premier League opener at Fulham, serving a carried-over red card from last season's 2-1 defeat to Sunderland, with Alonso otherwise reported to have an almost fully fit squad. Everything else was projection or speculation — predicted XIs, Fulham previews, Alonso's non-committal comments on penalty takers and further transfer business.
Stories Yahoo is featuring on the Chelsea team feed, with related coverage grouped underneath.
Season-preview breakdown of how Alonso may fit British-record signing Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro into an oversized squad. Projection and analysis, not confirmed team news.
CONFIRMED by the club: Joao Pedro has signed an extended and improved deal at Chelsea. SB Nation's write-up of Saturday's official announcement.
CONFIRMED: AP reports the 24-year-old Brazilian's new contract runs to 2034 on improved terms, rewarding a 20-goal debut season, and that he inherits the No. 9 shirt relinquished by Liam Delap. He starts the season as Alonso's first-choice striker, with Delap and Nicolas Jackson made available for transfer.
Everything new in the trailing 24 hours, newest first.