On the move: Demba Ba appears to be Chelsea bound (Picture: Getty) Demba Ba is closing in on a move to Chelsea after the Blues were given permission to hold talks with the player after officially activating his £7million release clause. The news was confirmed in a statement on Newcastle United’s website, with the Magpies revealing that Ba has been withdrawn from their squad due to play Everton tonight. ‘Newcastle United can confirm that Chelsea Football Club has made an official offer for Demba Ba which has triggered the release clause in the player’s contract,’ said a Newcastle statement. ‘The Club has given the player permission to speak to Chelsea FC and therefore he will not be included in the squad for tonight’s game against Everton.’ Ba is instead expected to travel to London to meet Chelsea officials and undergo a medical, with manager Rafa Benitez keen to get the 27-year-old signed up quickly. In talks: Demba Ba will meet with Chelsea to discuss a transfer (Picture: Getty) It all comes after a whirlwind 48 hours for Ba, in which he was rumoured to have snubbed Chelsea after rejecting their £45,000-a-week contract offer in a secret meeting. However, with Chelsea willing to splash the cash, the deal is set to go through soon, with Chelsea said to paying Ba up to £90,000-a-week to move to Stamford Bridge. The former West Ham man will also pick up a £2million bonus to return to London, while his lengthy list of representatives will also collect sizeable agents fees. Ba’s potential switch comes after a month long hunt for his services across the Premier League, with Arsenal, Liverpool and even relegation threatened QPR all keen on his signature.

A news article on 2013-01-02 14:59:00 from: The Metro

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