With little time between the end of the season and the upcoming Club World Cup, Chelsea was always expected to be active in the transfer market. The club aims to complete signings early so new players can use the tournament as a combination of preseason preparation and training.
This week could see three major transfer developments for the club.
Chelsea officially confirmed Liam Delap’s signing yesterday, and talks for goalkeeper Mike Maignan are reportedly gaining momentum. Now, a potential third signing is making headlines.
According to The Daily Mirror, Chelsea is in “advanced” negotiations over personal terms with Hugo Ekitike, a 22-year-old striker. While Liverpool is also monitoring the situation, Chelsea is moving quickly and appears to have the edge.
Both parties are reportedly keen on making the move happen.
However, the main challenge will be agreeing on a transfer fee. Frankfurt only signed Ekitike last summer and are under no pressure to sell. After offloading Omar Marmoush to Manchester City in January, they remain in a strong financial position and have set a €100 million price tag on Ekitike.
Chelsea has reportedly made it clear they won’t meet that valuation, so the outcome will depend on whether a compromise can be reached. If it is, the transfer could progress rapidly
