Transfer rumors, you either love them or hate them, but you can’t ignore them.

Here at WAGNH, we pride ourselves on sifting through most of the giant deluge of nonsense Chelsea fans get inundated with on a daily, if not hourly basis. Rumors and reports and understandings, it’s tough to know what’s real and what’s fake. We don’t have all the answers either (spoiler alert: no one does), but you can go a long way with a bit of critical thinking, educated guessing, and evaluating sources (more on that at the bottom). We won’t get everything right, but we’ll try.

It’s also tough to keep up on a day-to-day basis with the rumor mill, so the intent of this document is to be a sort of index, a tracker for transfer season. By definition, it will be a living document (and as of right now, still a work in progress — wanted to go live sooner than later) with constant edits, revisions, new information, etc.

Hope you find it helpful. Comments will be closed so as to avoid confusion; questions, comments, errors should be directed to me personally or posted in The Daily Hilario.

PLAYERS IN:

1. Billy Gilmour, 16, £500k (+bonuses) from Rangers — confirmation (May 9); agreement (Mar 27); rumor (Dec 14)
2. Daishawn Redan, 16, free (?) from Ajax — Twitter (Jun 22)
3. Ethan Ampadu, 16, £2m (?) from Exeter City — confirmation (Jul 1); rumour (Nov 23)
4. Willy Caballero, 35, free — official (Jul 1); medical (Jun 19); close (Jun 13); preference (Jun 8)
5. Antonio Rüdiger, 24, €35+4m from AS Roma — official, shirt no.2, first words (Jul 9); medical! (Jul 9); medical (Jul 5); €35+4m (Jul 4); coy (Jul 2); agreement (Jun 30); close (Jun 30); talks (Jun 30)
6. Tiemoué Bakayoko, 22, €42+3m from AS Monaco — official, shirt no.14, first words (Jul 15); delay (Jul 14); medical (Jul 14); emojis (Jul 13); final agreement (Jul 12); more mystery (Jul 11); confident (Jul 11); injury? (Jul 10); ruh-roh (Jul 10); this week (July 9); coming hours (Jul 7); very close (Jun 23); agreement! (Jun 22); ASM sign replacement? (Jun 17); dragging on (Jun 16); £35m (Jun 10); agreement? (Jun 10); frustration (Jun 2); ready to join (May 31); quickly (May 19)
7. Álvaro Morata, 24, £58+12m from Real Madrid — official, shirt no.9, first words (Jul 21); confirmation (Jul 21); medical (Jul 20); “bargain” (Jul 20); agreed (Jul 19), deal done? (Jul 19), on the verge (Jul 19); €70m min (Jul 18); merry-go-round (Jul 17); Milan, too? (Jul 16); nope (Jul 13); on tour (Jul 11); €80m? (Jul 10); contact (Jul 7); keep fighting (Jul 7); evaluating (Jul 6); back in? (Jun 17); United? (Jun 6) staying (May 25)
8. Kylian Hazard, 23, £135k (?) from Újpest — confirmation (Aug 29)
9. Davide Zappacosta, 25, €28+2m from Torino FC — official (Aug 31); medical (Aug 31); highlights (Aug 31); BOOM (Aug 31)
10. Danny Drinkwater, 27, £35m from Leicester City — official (Aug 31); medical (Aug 31); £35m (Aug 31); replacement (Aug 31); goer (Aug 31); third bid (Aug 31); £40m firm (Aug 30); transfer request (Aug 29); fee agreed (Aug 28); lowball 2 (Aug 22); talks (Aug 18); £40m firm (Aug 16); 2nd bid (Aug 12); lowball (Aug 11); hands off (Aug 11); top target (Aug 8); “injury” (Aug 5); intensifying (Aug 3); interest (Jul 31)

(In addition to the usual youth intake, Chelsea Academy have also signed or formalized the arrivals of Karlo Žiger, Nicolas Tie, Adebambo Akinjogbin, Renedi Masampu, and Tushaun Walters into the U18 squad.)

RUMORS:

• Fernando Llorente — signs w/ Spurs (Aug 31); replacement (Aug 31); Spurs!? (Aug 31); hold-up... (Aug 30); hold-up (Aug 30); very close (Aug 30); £15m? (Aug 29); bid again (Aug 26); target (Jul 24); target (Jul 21); still keen (Jul 6); reboot (Jun 23)
• Ross Barkley — staying (Aug 31); rejection (Aug 31); Spurs?? (Aug 31); £35m? (Aug 31); £25m rejected (Aug 29); £25m (Aug 29); vs. Spurs (Aug 22); still keen (Aug 17); torn hamstring (Aug 15); £30m? (Aug 11); £50m too much (Aug 10); target (Jul 27); bidding war? (Jul 20)
• Riyad Mahrez — mystery (Aug 31); £45m bid? (Aug 31); London (Aug 31); Algeria leave (Aug 30); top six (Aug 2); monitoring (Jun 19); interest (Jun 7)
• Antonio Candreva — target (Aug 31); staying (Aug 23); Inter not worried (Aug 19); asking price (Aug 8)
• Rafinha — again? (Aug 31); rejected (Aug 30); interest (Aug 30)
• Renato Sanches — signs w/ Swansea (Aug 31); nope (Aug 1); no loan-to-buy (Jul 30); enquiry (Jul 28)
• Serge Aurier — signs w/ Spurs (Aug 31); “real” (Aug 10); linked pending appeal (Aug 7)
• Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain — signs w/ Liverpool (Aug 31); LFC agreement (Aug 30); LFC bid rejected (Aug 30); CFC rejected (Aug 29); fee agreed (Aug 28); bidding war (Aug 26); Arsenal rejected (Aug 25); CFC confident (Aug 24); loyalty (Aug 24); £150k wages (Aug 15); encouragement (Aug 14); double wages (Aug 10); ready (Aug 10); swoop (Aug 8); poised (Aug 1); target (Jul 27); next week (Jul 21); join race (Jun 19)
• Bacary Sagna — interest (Aug 31)
• Alex Sandro — Juve satisfaction (Aug 30); decision: NO (Aug 18); €80m rejected (Aug 15); nope (Aug 5); nope (Jul 30); still (Jul 27); still (Jul 24); ‘final’ rejection (Jul 14); €75m? (Jul 9); unchanged (Jul 7); PSG bid (Jul 2); chess (Jul 1); resume (Jun 30); PSG, Man City (Jun 27); irreplaceable (Jun 26); on the verge (Jun 26); confusion (Jun 25); “substantial offer” (Jun 21); Juve £100k offer (Jun 19); “if” “agreement” (Jun 18); Juve say no (Jun 16); €60m? (Jun 11); €50m? (Jun 7); €40m? (Jun 1)
• Jeremy Toljan — signs w/ BVB (Aug 30); bidding war? (Jul 26); pursuit (Jun 29)
• Alexis Sánchez — waiting for ‘huge offer’ (Aug 29); no transfer request (Aug 28); no PL (Aug 2); not Arsenal (Jul 15); MCFC verbals (Jul 8); no PL (Jun 13); Bayern (Jun 8); Bayern? (May 31); goals (May 19)
• Joao Cancelo — signs w/ Inter (Aug 22); interest (Aug 9)
• Lionel Messi — annual link (Aug 18)
• Danny Rose — no sale (Aug 17); apology (Aug 11); push (Aug 11); interview (Aug 10);
• Cedric Soares — no sale (Aug 16); link (Aug 15)
• Virgil van Dijk — no sale (Aug 16); transfer request! (Aug 7); LFC out? (Aug 7); lesser evil (Aug 5); firm bid (Aug 4); out (Jul 24); focus (Jun 27); reboot (Jun 20); LFC out (Jun 7); tapping-up? (Jun 6); LFC win? (Jun 5); choice (Jun 5); City bid (Jun 1); financing (May 17); want (May 17)
• Richarlison — signs w/ Watford (Aug 8); link (Jul 24)
• Gareth Bale — shop window (Aug 3)
• Sergi Roberto — interest (Jul 25)
• Thiago Maia — signs w/ Lille (Jul 25); rekindled (May 17)
• Federico Bernardeschi — signs w/ Juventus (Jul 24); new contract? (Jun 10)
• Benjamin Mendy — signs w/ Man City (Jul 24); target (Jul 21); monitoring (Jul 21); exceptional offers only (Jun 16), act fast (May 30)
• Danilo — signs w/ Man City (Jul 23); Man City (Jul 21); no? (Jul 19); yes/no/maybe (Jul 19); €30 min? (Jul 18); personal terms (Jul 15); €35m? (Jul 14); for real? (Jul 11); continuing (Jul 11); silliness (Jul 3)
• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang — market closed (Jul 18); no more than £70m (Jul 17); few days (Jul 15); closing? (Jul 14); soliciting (Jul 11); shop window (Jun 22)
• Sergio Agüero — 7yrs too late (Jul 17); laughable (Jul 16)
• Andrea Belotti — AC Milan OK (Jul 15); AC Milan? (Jul 14); courting (Jul 12); preparing (Jul 12); no bids (Jul 11); captaincy (Jul 7); evaluating (Jul 6)
• Leonardo Bonucci — AC Milan shock (Jul 13); Juve leader (Jun 26); slappy (Jun 20); still keen! (Jun 20); still keen (Jun 19); denial (Jun 9)
• Dani Alves — signs w/ PSG (Jul 12); still deciding (Jul 10); choose Pep (Jun 26); mutual termination (Jun 19); snub (Jun 8); link (Jun 3)
• James Rodríguez — signs on loan w/ Bayern (Jul 11); still (Jul 6); £70m nope (Jun 12); eyeroll (Jun 11)
• Romelu Lukaku — MUFC official (Jul 10); interview (Jul 9); medical done (Jul 8); blame game (Jul 8); MUFC agreement (Jul 8); outbid (Jul 7); late-late bid (Jul 7); MUFC medical (Jul 6); or not (Jul 6); gazumped! (Jul 6); gazumped? (Jul 5); status check (Jul 3); Everton sign replacement? (Jun 17); wages (Jun 7); Utd switch targets (Jun 6); tease (Jun 6); talks (Jun 6); asking price (May 31); plea (May 31); progress (May 18); want (May 17)
• Moussa Dembélé — tracking (Jul 10); new links (Jun 2)
• Rúben Neves — signs w/ Wolves (Jul 8); link (Jun 13)
• Andrea Conti — signs w/ AC Milan (Jul 7) keen (May 28)
• Alexandre Lacazette — signs with Arsenal (Jul 5); vague interest (Jun 18)
• Kostas Manolas — phone call (Jun 29); check (Jun 28)
• Kalidou Koulibaly — nonsense (Jun 22)
• Robert Lewandowski — no fun Bayern (Jun 21); Balagué (Jun 21); unhappy? (Jun 20)
• Corentin Tolisso — Bayern win (Jun 14); Bayern (Jun 9); “€35m bid” (Jun 6); waiting (Jun 2); enquiry (Jun 1)
• Lorenzo Insigne — nope (June 14)
• Marco Verratti — nope (Jun 13)
• Stefan de Vrij — no new contract (Jun 9); radar (Jun 7)
• Marcus Bettinelli — tabbed (Jun 2)
• Franck Kessié — signs w/ AC Milan (Jun 2)
• Jérôme Boateng — link (May 30)
• Ivan Perišić — interest (May 28)
• Joris Gnagnon — monitoring (May 24)
• Aleksandr Golovin — enquiry (May 21)
• Thomas Lemar — passing interest (May 19)

PLAYERS OUT:

1. Nemanja Matić, 29, £35+5m to Manchester United — done (Jul 31); medical (Jul 30); fee agreed (Jul 30); new conditions (Jul 29); ManUtd £40m (Jul 26); Juve/ManUtd (Jul 25); £50m asking price (Jul 21); impasse (Jul 21); lower asking price? (Jul 17); talks? (Jul 15); José no comment (Jul 14); no tour (Jul 14); interest (Jul 13); solo training (Jul 12); preference (Jul 11); Inter? (Jul 10); off (Jul 7); this week? (Jul 4); agreed? (Jun 26); back on (Jun 25); no verbal (Jun 24); verbal (Jun 23); still (Jun 22); £40m? (Jun 13) Juve reignition (Jun 7); José reunion? (Jun 1)
2. Mukhtar Ali, 20, free? to Vitesse — done (Jul 17)
3. Nathaniel Chalobah, 22, £5-6m (+buyback?) to Watford — done (Jul 13); decision (Jul 13); fire sale (Jul 5); Watford (Jun 30); crunch talks (Jun 28); Torino (Jun 27)
4. Nathan Aké, 22, £20m to AFC Bournemouth — official (Jun 30); almost (Jun 30); agreement (Jun 28); Bournemouth (Jun 25); minutes (May 31); B’mouth bid (May 17)
5. Bertrand Traoré, 21, €10m (+bonuses/buyback?) to Lyon — official (Jun 26); no buyback (Jun 23); finalized (Jun 22); 10 days (Jun 20); €19m (Jun 17); personal terms (Jun 16); finalizing (Jun 13); Lyon (May 31); options (May 31); €20m asking price (May 27)
6. Alex Kiwomya, 21, free to Doncaster Rovers — official (Jun 16)
7. Dominic Solanke, 19, tribunal to decide fee (£3-10m?) to Liverpool — fee demands (Jun 14); confirmation (May 30);
8. Asmir Begović, 29, £10m to AFC Bournemouth — official (May 30); medical (May 29); B’mouth bid (May 17)
9. Christian Atsu, 25, £6.2m to Newcastle United — confirmation (May 24);
10. Juan Cuadrado, 29, €20m buy-option (+€5m loan fee) to Juventus — official (May 22); interview (Sep 13); loan terms (Sep 4); loan (Aug 31, 2016)
11. John Terry, 36, released — farewell speech (May 21); goodbye (Apr 19); confirmation (Apr 17)
12. Alex Davey, 22, released — Twitter (May 17)

2017-18 LOAN ARMY:

1. Fikayo Tomori, 19, loan to Hull City — official (Aug 31); intent (Jun 12)
2. Nathan, 21, loan to Amiens SC — official (Aug 31)
3. Charlie Wakefield, 19, loan to Stevenage — confirmed (Aug 31)
4. Cristián Cuevas, 22, loan to FC Twente — confirmed (Aug 31)
5. Jordan Houghton, 21, loan to Doncaster Rovers — official (Aug 31)
6. Jeremie Boga, 20, loan to Birmingham City — official (Aug 28)
7. Kenneth Omeruo, 23, loan to Kasımpaşa — official (Aug 25); England (Jul 25)
8. Lewis Baker, 22, loan to Middlesbrough (2 years?) — official (Aug 11); set (Aug 9); Swansea? Bournemouth? (Jun 11); impact (Jun 1)
9. Mario Pašalić, 22, loan to Spartak Moscow — official (Aug 2); Lazio? (Jul 14); Bundesliga? (Jun 22); no AC Milan? (May 31)
10. Victorien Angban, 20, loan to Waasland-Beveren — official (Jul 28)
11. Matt Miazga, 22, loan to Vitesse — official (Jul 28); higher aims (May 19)
12. Jared Thompson, 18, loan to Chippenham Town — official (Jul 28)
13. Jamal Blackman, 23, loan to Sheffield United — official (Jul 27)
14. Michael Hector, 25, loan to Hull City — official (Jul 27)
15. Tomáš Kalas, 24, loan to Fulham — official (Jul 27); loan again (Jul 19); Hull interest (Jun 13)
16. Izzy Brown, 20, loan to Brighton & Hove Albion — official (Jul 25); sign-n-loan (Jul 5); £8m? (Jul 1); advanced talks (Jun 19)
17. Mason Mount, 18, loan to Vitesse — official (Jul 24); closing in (Jun 19); Vitesse (Jun 15)
18. Kurt Zouma, 22, loan to Stoke City — official (Jul 21); agreed (Jul 13); Stoke (Jul 12); extend-n-loan (Jul 12); talks (Jul 11); blocking (Jul 5); stay (Jun 27); waiting (Jun 20); Nice? (May 31); Roma? (May 22); OM? (May 19); targeted (May 17)
19. Jay Dasilva, 19, loan to Charlton Athletic — official (Jul 21)
20. Ike Ugbo, 18, loan to Barnsley — official (Jul 17)
21. Marco van Ginkel, 24, loan to PSV — official (Jul 16); PSV (Jul 12); waiting (Jun 28)
22. Lucas Piazon, 23, loan to Fulham — extend-n-loan (Jul 13)
23. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 21, loan to Crystal Palace — confirmed (Jul 12); Palace (Jul 10); intent (Jul 2)
24. Ola Aina, 20, loan to Hull City — confirmed (Jul 11); Hull (Jul 5)
25. Brad Collins, 20, loan to Forest Green Rovers — official (Jul 7)
26. Charlie Colkett, 20, loan to Vitesse — confirmed (Jul 6); Vitesse (Jul 4)
27. Josimar Quintero, 20, loan to FC Rostov — official (Jul 5)
28. Todd Kane, 23, loan to FC Groningen — official (Jul 5); Groningen (Jul 2)
29. Kasey Palmer, 20, loan to Huddersfield Town — official (Jul 4); new contract (Jul 3); back to Town (Jul 1); B’mouth? (May 16)
30. Tammy Abraham, 19, loan to Swansea City — official (Jul 4); sign & loan (Jun 28); Swansea! (Jun 21); Swansea (Jun 19); Vitesse, too? (Jun 15); waiting game (Jun 14); NUFC or Brighton (Jun 9); Benítez meeting (Jun 7); must choose (Jun 3); NUFC loan? (Jun 1); chase (May 25)
31. Fankaty Dabo, 21, loan to Vitesse — official (Jun 25)
32. Nathan Baxter, 18, loan to Woking FC — official (Jun 21)
33. Danilo Pantić, 20, loan to Partizan Belgrade — official (Jun 19)

RUMORED OUTGOING:

MAY STILL BE HAPPENING:

• Diego Costa — obstacles (Aug 31); finalizing (Aug 30); optimistic (Aug 30); nearing! (Aug 28); Everton? (Aug 25); OM option (Aug 22); hurry up (Aug 21); agreement? (Aug 19); big interview (Aug 18); respect (Aug 17); statement (Aug 17); CFC lawyer up (Aug 16); Depor bridge? (Aug 16); no hurry (Aug 15); orders (Aug 14); interview (Aug 14); AC Milan (Aug 11); avoidance (Aug 7); nonsense (Aug 4); lawyer up (Aug 3); Mendes (Aug 1); extended break (Aug 1); impatient (Jul 31); AC Milan??? (Jul 26); loan option? (Jul 21); £30m asking price (Jul 11); pressure (Jul 9); peace talks? (Jul 7); goodbyes (Jul 6); hours (Jul 5); close (Jul 1); quiet (Jun 29); loan rules (Jun 23); wants (Jun 22); £50m asking price (Jun 20); improved Atléti bid? (Jun 17); drawing board (Jun 14); Atleti-coy (Jun 13); discord (Jun 12); loan? (Jun 12); waiting (Jun 12); PSG? (Jun 9); no AC Milan (Jun 9); text (Jun 9); text wars (Jun 8); AC Milan?? (Jun 8); AC Milan? (Jun 8); transcript (Jun 7); break-up (Jun 7); Milan link (Jun 4); Atléti ban (Jun 1); doors open (May 30); £20m LOL (May 29); extension? (May 28); not leaving (May 27); no China (May 23); Atléti back (May 22); Tianjin mystery (May 19); very necessary (May 17)
• Loïc Rémy — Las Palmas? (Aug 31); Cagliari? (Aug 25); Lazio? (Jul 19); set to leave (Jul 16); Besiktas? (Jul 4)
• Jake Clarke-Salter (loan) — intent (Jun 12)

NOT HAPPENING:

• Kenedy (loan) — staying (Aug 31); cancel? (Aug 30); delay (Aug 15); set (Aug 9); intent (Aug 4); PSV (Jun 20)
• Michy Batshuayi (loan?) — go? (Aug 30); Lille? (Aug 21); OM (Jul 31); impressing (Jul 26); stay? (Jun 14); no bench (Jun 7); WC goals (Jun 6); wherever (May 28); WHU new (May 24); undecided (May 22)
• Baba Rahman (loan?) — stay (Aug 29); Schalke? (Aug 13); Schalke reconsidering (Jun 2)
• Andreas Christensen — gushing (Aug 7); first-team (Jul 27); shirt no.27 (Jul 26); Inter-est (Jul 4); preseason (Jun 10); Roma? (May 22)
• Eden Hazard — laugh (Aug 4); Neymar (Aug 3); surgery (Jun 5); ankle (Jun 4); stay many years (Jun 4); very happy (Jun 2); New Guard (May 27); extension? (May 18)
• Charly Musonda — shirt no.17 (Jul 6); commitment (Jul 4); Celtic (Jul 1); Conte talks (Jun 8); no loan (May 29)
• Thibaut Courtois — agenting (Jun 28); ready (May 29); contract talks (May 18)
• Willian — fight for spot (Jun 6); Bayern? (May 30); United? (May 29); citizen (May 25)
• Cesc Fàbregas — commitment (May 28)
• Eduardo — new contract! (May 23)

DEVELOPING...

A word on sources. One of the biggest keys in evaluating the likelihood of the transfer, beyond just a logical and empirical evaluation, is what source it came from. There are some we inherently trust (e.g. BBC, Telegraph, Guardian), some we inherently don’t (The Sun, Le10Sport, most of Spain, Italy, all of Turkey), and many more that fall into a sort of middle ground. But the big question isn’t whether they are telling the truth, it’s who’s feeding them the information. We understand Matt Law and Dom Fifield to be the two main outlets for Chelsea-sourced information, for example. Duncan Castles is a Mourinho/Mendes proxy. A byline tends to lend credibility, but only to a certain extent.

As always, these categorizations are evolving, improving, changing with every new bit of information and we’re mostly concerned with reporters who at least dabble a bit in transfer rumors.

Chelsea journalists on the good list: Matt Law (Telegraph); Dom Fifield (Guardian); Simon Johnson (Evening Standard); Nizaar Kinsella (Goal); Liam Twomey (ESPN); Dan Levene (Eurosport)

Others on the good list: Gianluca Di Marzio & David Amoyal & Fabrizio Romano (Italy rumors); Mohamed Bouhafsi, Francois Piraeux (France rumors), Miguel Delaney (England); Kristof Terreur (all things Belgium); Duncan Castles (Mourinho); Oliver Todd & Matt Barlow (Mail); Henry Winter & Matt Hughes (Times); Colin Udoh (Nigeria); David Cartlidge (Spain); Sid Lowe (Spain)

Notable journalists with particularly poor track records: Tancredi Palmeri, Emanuele Giulianelli, Guillem Balagué

On the shun list:
England: The Sun, Star, Express, Metro
France: Le10Sport
Spain: Don Balon, Diario Gol, SPORT, Mundo Deportivo
Italy: CalcioMercato, TMW, Mediaset/Premium
Turkey: [all]
Online: Tribal Football, CaughtOffside, HITC, Squawka

Everything else is in-betwen and on a case-by-case basis.