Chelsea are “considering a shock move” for Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert and have also opened talks with Atletico Madrid’s Koke, according to reports.

Darren Lewis of the Mirror links Lambert to an unlikely Stamford Bridge move, saying the Englishman could be identified as a replacement for Didier Drogba. Lewis notes the interest of Crystal Palace and Hull City, who may also tempt to rid Liverpool of their unneeded summer purchase.

Lambert started just his sixth Premier League game of the season on Saturday, helping the Reds to a 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers, per WhoScored.com. He has netted only two goals in the division this campaign, compared to 13 with Southampton last year, and the striker needs a summer move to reignite his chances of returning to the England setup.

Drogba has slowed considerably this campaign and is mainly called upon when Diego Costa and Loic Remy are injured for Chelsea.

The 37-year-old has made just seven starts in the domestic division and is no longer the player who used to bulldoze his way through defences without a second thought. It’s questionable whether Lambert would want to follow in this bit-part role, though, or whether he’d rather be the main asset of a lesser club.

Blues Enter Koke Talks

Chelsea fans will perhaps be more excited to hear speculation suggesting the Blues are “in talks” with Atletico over Koke, as reported by Tony Banks of the Express. Banks identified the player’s reported £44 million release clause and suggests Chelsea would offer £30 million plus Filipe Luis, who has failed to knock Cesar Azpilicueta out of the first team this season.

Atletico boss Diego Simeone has struggled to replace Luis since his departure last year, so the Brazilian’s return could fill a void at the Vicente Calderon. Banks indicated Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo recently watched Koke and that “initial talks” have begun over the Spanish playmaker’s possible switch.

Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail expects Chelsea “to spend big” when the season concludes. He said manager Jose Mourinho is “planning talks” with owner Roman Abramovich in order to secure the funds needed to turn the Premier League champions into a European force.

Mourinho will be desperate to win the Champions League in west London—having previously led Porto and Inter Milan to the promised land—but this year’s round-of-16 loss to Paris Saint-Germain indicated the club will continue to fall well short without investment.

Mokbel believes Mourinho will look to secure “a new goalkeeper, centre-back, left-back, attacking midfielder and striker.” B/R UK’s Stan Collymore recently discussed where the champions rank among those before them:

Despite winning the English title with three matches remaining, Mourinho isn’t the type of manager who becomes complacent. He will look to secure valuable deals during the summer, moving on players who no longer fit in with his vision at the club.

This could free up room for the likes of Koke, and maybe, surprisingly, Lambert. Mourinho values all of his squad, from first-team match-winners to those who provide respite to key players. A move for someone of Lambert’s qualities cannot be ruled out, particularly as Mourinho is the type of manager who can get the best out of faltering talent.

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Roberto Mancini could be reunited with Yaya Toure. 

That is at least according to the Daily Star Sunday‘s back page, which links Inter Milan with a £46.2 million deal for the Manchester City midfielder. 

£15 million of that would go to City in the form of a transfer fee and the rest to Toure as wages. 

Sticking with City, it looks like Alvaro Negredo takes a pop at Manuel Pellegrini in the Mail on Sunday.

Elsewhere, there is plenty of focus on Saturday’s action in both football and cricket. 

[Nick Sutton]

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Juventus claimed a fourth consecutive Serie A title with a 1-0 win at Sampdoria on Saturday.

Arturo Vidal scored at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris to hand the Old Lady a 31st Scudetto crown with four games still to play in the league season.  

The win puts Juve 17 points clear of second-placed Lazio, and although the Biancocelesti still have five games remaining—they face Atalanta on Sunday—the deficit is now insurmountable.

The news was reported by ESPN FC:

There were no Juventus supporters at the stadium in Genoa to celebrate the title victory after the club were sanctioned following trouble at the recent Turin derby, per a statement from Serie A (via Ben Gladwell of ESPN FC).

It always looked to be simply a matter of time before Juve were crowned champions, with early challengers Roma having dropped off dramatically since the turn of the year.

A 3-2 victory over Fiorentina on Wednesday moved them within touching distance, and Saturday’s win confirmed Juve as title winners in Massimiliano Allegri’s first season in charge at the club.

Juventus have been immense in Serie A this season, losing just three matches and dropping just four points at home—draws against Inter Milan and Sampdoria.

On Allegri’s appointment as Antonio Conte’s replacement last summer, Juve fans were unhappy, per beIN Sports USA:

But the 47-year-old has proved his doubters wrong by easing Juve to the title this season.

Furthermore, Juventus have qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time in 12 years. They are set to play the first leg of their last-four tie against defending champions Real Madrid on Tuesday.

By winning the title with games to spare, Allegri can now rest key players, potentially giving Juve a better chance of winning a third European Cup this year. 

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Arturo Vidal clinched a fourth-successive Serie A title for Juventus with the only goal of the game against Sampdoria at the Stadio Luigi Ferrari on Saturday,

The Chile midfielder headed home a Stephan Lichtsteiner cross in the 32nd minute as Juve‘s controlled possession saw the Turin club overcome their opponents 1-0.

The victory gave Juventus an unassailable 17-point lead over second-placed Roma, leaving them free to concentrate on their Champions League semi-final first leg against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

For Sampdoria, the defeat could come at a further cost, with rivals for a European spot such as Genoa, Fiorentina, Torino and Inter Milan now having the chance to overtake the fifth-placed team in the Serie A table.

Juventus made three changes to their team with Vidal replacing Andrea Pirlo, who was named on the bench, in the starting XI.

Leonardo Bonucci and Simone Padoin also came in for Giorgio Chiellini and Patrice Evra in Massimiliano Allegri’s champions-elect team.

But it was Sampdoria who made the livelier start to the game with Pedro Obiang going close in the 15th minute.

The Turin side eventually found their feet, though, and Vidal forced a good save from Emiliano Viviano in the 26th minute with his snap shot.

Stefano Sturaro was hurt in a 31st-minute challenge with Lorenzo Di Silvestri, but both players were able to continue.

And within a minute, Juventus had taken a giant step toward a fourth successive title as Vidal opened the scoring. Stephan Lichtsteiner floated a ball to the far post from the right corner of the Samp area, and the Chile international had little trouble heading home at the far post.

Fernando Llorente should have at least hit the target three minutes later from another Lichtsteiner cross, but he headed over the crossbar.

Samuel Eto’o looked to be on course for a second-half equaliser, but the Juventus defence scrambled the ball clear as the former Inter and Barcelona man threatened.

At the other end, Vidal set up Claudio Marchisio on the edge of the area in the 55th minute, but the Juventus midfielder’s effort was high and wide of Viviano‘s goal.

Carlos Tevez almost produced the perfect end to an excellent passing move by Juve in the 59th minute, but Viviano stretched out his right hand to palm the Argentinian’s strike away.

Juventus were grateful to the defending of Bonucci in the 65th minute when he managed to place a foot in front of Gonzalo Bergessio’s strike inside the area after a superb ball by Eto’o.

The visitors’ controlled possession of the ball throughout the game was having an effect on Sampdoria by the midway point of the second half, with the Genoa team looking ragged and tired by the persistent chasing.

With Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg in mind, Allegri brought off Tevez for Alvaro Morata in the 72nd minute before switching Chiellini for Roberto Pereyra.

The title was in the bag by now, though, and with Sampdoria offering little threat on an underemployed Gianluigi Buffon in the visitors’ goal, Juventus were able to sit back to claim the Scudetto.

Now their focus will be on the Champions League, with holders Real Madrid arriving at the Juventus Stadium on Tuesday.

Selected Player Ratings

Arturo Vidal: A+

An industrious display from the Juventus midfielder on his return to the starting lineup. He fully warranted his opening goal.

Fernando Llorente: B+

The Juventus striker should have done better with a first-half header but played his part by holding the ball up well for colleagues.

Stephan Lichtsteiner: A

Provided the assist for Vidal’s opener with an inch-perfect cross, but he barely troubled on the right side of the field. An unsung star of Juventus‘ title triumph.

Post-Match Reaction

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has suggested that Didier Drogba and club owner Roman Abramovich must decide whether or not the Ivorian striker plays on for another year.

At 37 years old, Drogba is now the Blues’ third-choice striker. He has served them excellently across two terms but is heading toward the conclusion of a memorable career. Mourinho indicates it isn’t his prerogative to decide whether or not Drogba remains at the club, as reported by Tom Sheen of The Independent:

I didn’t speak with him (yet). I think it belongs to him: what he feels, what he thinks. 

This is a club thing. This is a Mr. Abramovich thing. Mr. Abramovich wants him to do what he wants in the club, but it’s something Mr. Abramovich has to tell him. 

He has to decide. But, obviously, he belongs to the history of this club. These guys are special players.

Drogba has made five starts and 20 substitute appearances in the Premier League this season, netting three goals, per WhoScored.com. He also tallied two goals in five UEFA Champions League displays and grabbed a strike en route to Capital One Cup success.

Even so, he is very much fulfilling the role of cover for Diego Costa and Loic Remy.

Mourinho proved injuries to both doesn’t guarantee Drogba a start during the recent 0-0 draw with Arsenal in which Chelsea lined up without a recognised striker. Miguel Delaney of ESPN FC believes Drogba will be pushed out for Inter Milan’s Mauro Icardi:

Chelsea continue to be linked with the Argentinian, as reported by ESPN FC’s Miguel Delaney.

Griezmann, Koke Pursuits Dampened by Transfer Ban?

A developing story in Spain suggests Atletico Madrid may be on the verge of receiving a transfer ban after the illegal signing of underage players, as reported by Jose Ramon de la Morena of radio station Cadena Ser (h/t Charles Ventura of FOX Sports).

This could potentially eliminate rumours suggesting Chelsea are looking to sign forward Antoine Griezmann and midfielder Koke from the club.

Pete Jenson of MailOnline believes the west London club are “interested” in triggering Griezmann‘s £43 million buyout clause, while AS (h/t Ashley Clements of MailOnline) previously indicated the club sent technical director Michael Emenalo to watch Koke in action.

Both potential deals would be placed in jeopardy if Atletico cannot purchase replacements. If FIFA impose a ban, Atletico “will be immediately banned from all transfer activity for the next two windows,” per Cadena Ser (h/t Marca).

Real Madrid have denied claims they are also in line to receive a ban, per the club’s official website. However, the Spanish FA notes “a notice to this effect has been served concerning Atletico,” per Jose Felix Diaz of Marca.

Mourinho may have to rethink his summer business if this comes to fruition. Atletico boss Diego Simeone saw Costa and Filipe Luis join Chelsea last year, and he is unlikely to sanction further moves if he can’t replace his top stars.

Chelsea’s squad is full of quality and possesses the strength in depth needed to dominate England. However, reinforcements are needed if a successful assault on Europe is to commence.

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