Chelsea

Chelsea and Man Utd share pursuit of points and players

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One of the most interesting battles unfolding as the 2019-20 Premier League season ends, Chelsea and Manchester United are competing on and off the pitch to meet their respective targets.

Whichever of the two sides gets the upper hand could influence planning ahead of next season, especially given that both Frank Lampard and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have been linked with several of the same transfer targets.

The key challenge for Chelsea will be ensuring they secure Champions League football again next season, although the final run of games would suggest that the battle for fourth position will be fierce, with United determined and ready to pounce.

On paper, it looks as though the Blues have the tougher final schedule of games, which includes a testing encounter against Manchester City at home, plus a trip to champions elect Liverpool in the penultimate game of the campaign.

Manchester United have already played the top two sides, and looking at the latest betting exchange odds on the Premiership fixtures remaining, they are slightly favoured to win more of their remaining games.

Nevertheless, the Red Devils are still trailing Chelsea in pursuit of the final Champions League spot, which means there’s arguably greater pressure on them to make up the difference. Winning that particular battle could also dictate which team wins the race for signings.

Playing in the Champions League is a huge attraction for the most ambitious players, which means that qualifying for the elite European competition can make all the difference – if a player is in the position of choosing which of the two sides to sign for.

United and Chelsea have both been consistently linked with Timo Werner, although the London club appears to have won that particular race. A deal for the powerful RB Leipzig striker appears to have been reached, which looks set to be announced once the Bundesliga season ends.

Werner has enjoyed an exceptional campaign, making him one of the hottest properties in European football. The 24-year-old has been hugely influential in the progress of his team this season, although German football betting tips expect RB Leipzig to continue their growth.

While it’s fair to say that manager Julian Nagelsmann would have preferred to keep 24-year-old Werner, the sizeable transfer fee from the sale should more than compensate as RB Leipzig look for alternative attacking options.

Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, another supremely talented young player has been attracting lots of attention this season. Manchester United and Chelsea have both been mentioned as possible destinations for Kai Havertz, who has enjoyed stellar form with Bayer Leverkusen.

Given that United already appear to have missed out on Werner, they could double their efforts to prevent Chelsea from also landing 21-year-old Havertz, who has demonstrated a phenomenal level of adaptability.

Able to play anywhere in midfield or attack, whether in wide or central roles, Havertz could easily become a key player at Stamford Bridge or Old Trafford, and continue developing his abilities further.

The rivalry between Chelsea and Man Utd has taken on a whole new perspective, with the two clubs keen to close the gap on Liverpool and Man City. What they achieve on an off the pitch over the next few weeks could shape the fortunes of either, next season and beyond.

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