Chelsea Transfer News: Antoine Griezmann, Blaise Matuidi, Top Rumours

Chelsea will be disappointed to learn Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann has reportedly revealed his intention to turn down any offers from the Premier League this summer.

According to Jason Burt of the Daily Telegraph, the Frenchman has said as much to his friends, so even if the Blues were to meet his £63 million buyout clause they may be out of luck. SuperSport revealed his impressive goalscoring record:
He has a further 10 in all competitions as well as seven assists.
After he netted against Bayern Munich to see his side through to the UEFA Champions League final, Spanish football expert Rafael Hernandez noted the change in the way he's been perceived:
FourFourTwo's Huw Davies and Seb Stafford-Bloor believe he will be vital to France's success this summer:
Chelsea could really use more firepower, as they have few quality options beyond Diego Costa, but it seems they'll have to consider targets other then Griezmann this summer.
One of their attempts to share Costa's workload was through the acquisition of Radamel Falcao, who arrived on loan from Monaco after spending last year with Manchester United. After netting once and making just 12 appearances for the Blues, it's no surprise he looks set to return to the French club, per TYC Sports (h/t football writer Robin Bairner):
The Colombian was once considered one of the deadliest hitmen in European football, but form and fitness have been a real problem in recent years. He scored 13 goals in his 22 appearances for Monaco, though, so a return there could help him reignite his career.
Meanwhile, the Blues are reportedly interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Blaise Matuidi this summer.
According to the Sun (h/t Italian outlet CalcioMercatoWeb, via the Daily Star's Jamie Anderson), the Blues are keeping track of his situation as he "represents a more realistic target than either Paul Pogba or Radja Nainggolan." 
The news follows Duncan Wright's report in the Sun back in February that Chelsea could make a £39 million bid for the 2015 French player of the year.

 

Matuidi is a regular in PSG's midfield three alongside Marco Verratti and Thiago Motta, and he could make a strong replacement for Nemanja Matic should he call time on his Stamford Bridge career after a disappointing season.
According to Squawka, the 29-year-old has won 54 tackles and made 46 interceptions in Ligue 1 this season. He has created 26 chances, including six assists, netted four goals and averaged an impressive 92 per cent passing accuracy.
Like Matic, his presence in front of the back four would allow those ahead of him to shine, and his impeccable distribution would be invaluable to help the Blues keep possession ticking over in the midfield.
The reported price seems somewhat steep for a player of Matuidi's age, but he does seem a more attainable signing than Pogba in particular.