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Chelsea are pushing to finalise an agreement to buy Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund. Enzo Maresca has made no secret of his desire to sign a winger and talks over Gittens are moving in the right direction.
Bayern Munich are also monitoring developments around the England Under-21 international but Chelsea are confident they will not be outflanked by the Bundesliga champions.
It is understood that figures from Chelsea’s recruitment department have been able to hold face-to-face talks with their Dortmund counterparts at the Club World Cup. Chelsea have had two bids for Gittens turned down but are expected to return with an improved offer. Dortmund have been holding out for at least £50m for the 20-year-old, with the payment structure also expected to be important.
Chelsea want a right-footed winger who can play on the left after deciding not to sign Jadon Sancho from Manchester United. Their options have also been limited by Mykhailo Mudryk being charged by the Football Association with doping offences. Maresca has sometimes had to use the left-footed Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke on the left, even though both forwards are happier cutting inside from the opposite flank. Estêvão Willian, who will join from Palmeiras after the Club World Cup, is another left-footed player who mainly operates from the right.
Signing someone of Gittens’ profile should give Chelsea more balance in attack. Gittens was previously at Manchester City’s academy and scored 12 goals for Dortmund last season. He has not been a regular since the arrival of Niko Kovac, who has preferred a 3-5-2 system. Fifa’s regulations will prevent Chelsea from registering Gittens for the Club World Cup if they sign him while at the tournament.
Chelsea have identified Lyon’s Malick Fofana and Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho as alternative targets. They also want a versatile attacker and are monitoring West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus, Brighton’s João Pedro and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike. There have been suggestions of a swap deal involving Garnacho and Christopher Nkunku, although United are prioritising other targets in attack.
Fifa’s disciplinary committee has upgraded Nicolas Jackson’s ban to two games after reviewing footage of the striker’s red card during Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat by Flamengo last Friday. The striker was already suspended for Chelsea’s final game in Group D, against Espérance in Philadelphia on Tuesday night, but will also be unavailable for any last-16 tie in Charlotte on Saturday. Maresca’s side must avoid defeat by Espérance to go through but cannot win their group.
