Chelsea's number one transfer priority is obvious despite entering Xavi Simons talks

While Chelsea are pushing full steam ahead for Xavi Simons, the west London club are still working on several deals in the background.

As reported by football.london on Monday evening, the Blues have started talks with the 22-year-old's representatives over a move to Stamford Bridge. Long on the radar of Chelsea's, Simons is said to be keen on a switch to SW6 as he looks to leave RB Leipzig this summer. Ali Barat, the agent who was instrumental in Noni Madueke's recent move to Arsenal, is at the centre of negotiations.

Chelsea will continue talking with Barat and Simons' other representatives until they can reach a verbal agreement over personal terms. Once that is done, the Blues will hold club-to-club talks with Leipzig regarding a fee for the Netherlands international, with reports from Germany suggesting the Bundesliga club will sell the Dutchman for around €65million (£56million) this summer.

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However, Chelsea would ideally like to offload a few players before signing Simons. After selling Madueke and Djordje Petrovic for a combined £77million, the Blues are looking to add to that total in the coming weeks with a host of players up for sale, including Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku and Renato Veiga.

Nkunku has made it clear to the club he wishes to depart this summer, football.london understands, after spending two seasons at Stamford Bridge. The 27-year-old Frenchman has admirers from England and overseas with Chelsea open to selling the forward. And similar can be said about Felix.

There is interest from the Saudi Pro League in the Portugal international, who has also been linked with a return to Benfica. The 25-year-old attacker re-signed for the Blues last summer from Atletico Madrid but a lack of game time under Enzo Maresca saw him move to AC Milan on loan in January.

Meanwhile, Veiga is in talks to join Atletico Madrid on a permanent deal. The 21-year-old, like Felix, moved on loan in January to Juventus and has been placed on the transfer list. Chelsea are now in talks with Atleti over a move for the Portugal international.

There are several other players up for sale as well. Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell are both free to leave Stamford Bridge for the right price, but both face a problem having not played too much football over the past 12 months and the fact they both command high wages.

Elsewhere, a permanent move for Ishe Samuels-Smith looks to be on the cards. The 19-year-old defender's representatives are currently in Strasbourg discussing a deal with Chelsea's sister club. Personal terms have been proposed to the defender, though no agreement has been struck just yet. football.london understands Samuels-Smith is keen on moving to eastern France and will fly there from Manchester once given the green light by his entourage.

There are a number of deals being worked on behind closed doors while Chelsea continue their pursuit of Simons. While it is not defining to whether the Simons deal happens, the Blues would like to get some of them done before pushing ahead even further with the signing of the Dutchman.