Chelsea Transfer News: Latest on Moussa Dembele and Cesar Azpilicueta Rumours

Fulham striker Moussa Dembele—a reported target for Chelsea—has indicated he'd prefer to stay in the United Kingdom amid speculation linking him with a move abroad.

According to Get West London's Paul Warburton, his agent, Mamadi Fofana, has held talks with Galatasaray and Real Madrid. He's also attracted interest from the Blues, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, but the 19-year-old insists he's not letting the speculation affect him.

He told TV show My Telefoot L'After (h/t Warburton): "My entourage are keen for me to stay grounded so I pay attention without worrying too much about what is said about me. In the UK football is a way a life and a religion; it is mad, regardless of in which division the club is."

Here is Dembele on the programme, appearing alongside former Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf—who told him game time is more important than money, per Warburton:

The Frenchman is attracting widespread attention after an outstanding season for the Cottagers, which saw him win Football League Player of the Year at the London Football Awards.

OptaCan shared his impressive stats:

The precocious youngster came up through the ranks at Paris Saint-Germain before joining Fulham in 2012.

Although he's not been tested at the highest level, he possesses the attributes—namely pace, power and physicality—and the potential required to succeed.

Chelsea have few alternatives to Diego Costa up front, and none of them are especially inspiring, so more attacking options are certainly needed this summer.

According to Transfermarkt, Dembele's deal at Craven Cottage runs out this summer, so he could be available for free.

Per Warburton, Fulham have made him an offer, so he could opt to stay and further his development with the Cottagers, but if a club of Chelsea's stature were to offer him a deal, it may be too tempting to turn down.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

Meanwhile, Chelsea will reportedly "resist offers for full-back Cesar Azpilicueta," who is attracting interest from Atletico Madrid and Barcelona, per the Daily Mail's Mike Keegan.

The Spaniard was perhaps one of the few at Stamford Bridge to enjoy a fairly strong season despite the team's struggles in 2015/16, and he showed his defensive solidity in the UEFA Champions League, per WhoScored.com:

In the Premier League, he made an astounding 86 tackles and just as many interceptions last season, as well as making 28 clearances and winning 43 headed duels, per Squawka.

Azpilicueta's strength at the back and ability to perform competently on either flank makes him a valuable player at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues would be right to resist interest for him—he could be a key performer for incoming Chelsea boss Antonio Conte.