An agent is in talks with Chelsea over signing his £25 million client who's been compared to ex-Arsenal and Man United star Robin van Persie.
Chelsea expected to make senior attacking signing before August 30
The west Londoners have made nine signings in total already this summer, and it could be 10 soon, as it is believed Chelsea are on the verge of competing a deal for KRC Genk goalkeeper Mike Penders.
Chelsea agree deal to sell £98m player with Gallagher but key issue arises
The Blues have shook hands with an unexpected club.
ByEmilio Galantini
Indeed, Tosin Adarabioyo (Fulham), Estevao Willian (Palmeiras), Omari Kellyman (Aston Villa), Renato Veiga (FC Basel), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (Leicester City), Marc Guiu (Barcelona), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United) and Filip Jorgensen (Villarreal) have all joined, with Aaron Anselmino set to sign for Chelsea from Boca Juniors as well.
Cole Palmer
7.48
Conor Gallagher
7.13
Nicolas Jackson
7.07
Moises Caicedo
6.85
Noni Madueke
6.84
However, while they've been busy on paper, a lot of the aforementioned players are young and could be viewed as investments for the future, rather than upgrades for Enzo Maresca's squad right now.
Therefore, Chelsea co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley remain in the market for senior stars. Talks have been ongoing over a Chelsea move for Victor Osimhen, with Romelu Lukaku heading the other way. Meanwhile, reliable journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed they're still on the lookout for a right-winger after missing out on Michael Olise.
"Chelsea are also in the market for a right winger, having failed to secure Michael Olise," wrote Jacobs this week.
"The 22-year-old decided to join Bayern Munich with Chelsea pulling out due to the overall cost of the deal. Oscar Bobb is one name appreciated, but the 21-year-old is understood to be content to stay and fight for more minutes at Manchester City.
"At this stage, it is looking unlikely that Chelsea will add a senior left-winger, despite links with Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams and Dortmund's Karim Adeyemi, who is now a Juventus target. Raheem Sterling wants to stay at Chelsea and is viewed as a profile that fits Enzo Maresca's style."
While the search for a left-winger has concluded, a very astute option they've been linked with recently, and one who can play on both flanks, as well as at centre-forward, is Juventus winger Federico Chiesa.
The 51-cap Italy international has played on the right more times over his career than the left (Transfermarkt), and his contract expires next year, making him a potentially cheaper £25 million option.
Fali Ramadani in talks over Chelsea signing Federico Chiesa
According to newspaper La Stampa, via Tutto Juve, Chiesa's agent Fali Ramadani is in talks with Chelsea over the Blues signing him, but he's also in direct "negotiations" with Man United, Tottenham and Arsenal.
Ramadani appears to be trying to mediate a move to the Premier League for his client who scored 10 goals and bagged a further three assists in all competitions last season, not to mention 66 goals and 49 assists in total since making his professional senior debut for Fiorentina in 2016.
Chiesa's contract situation and experience make him a very viable target, and not one to be dismissed. The 26-year-old, who can play as a centre-forward and second striker, has even been compared to Arsenal legends van Persie and Thierry Henry.
