CHELSEA CONSIDERING LAST-MINUTE STRIKER OPTIONS

CHELSEA CONSIDERING LAST-MINUTE STRIKER OPTIONS

Chelsea are weighing up their striker options as the summer transfer window approaches its end at 11 pm BST on August 30. Among the players of interest is England international Ivan Toney, but no formal bid has been made to Brentford for the forward, despite his expressed desire to leave the club before the deadline.

Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli is currently the only team to have made an offer for Toney, with former Chelsea sporting director Michael Emenalo and Saudi Pro League official Saad Al-Lazeez in London this week attempting to finalize the deal. Brentford, initially holding out for £50 million, may now accept a bid closer to £40 million, especially with the looming deadline. Al-Ahli’s latest bid of £25 million falls short of Brentford’s valuation, but with the Saudi transfer window open until October 6, they have time to negotiate unless another club steps in.

Chelsea and Arsenal have both shown interest in Toney throughout the summer, but any bid from Chelsea would need to align with their wage structure, meaning they are unlikely to offer a salary comparable to Al-Ahli’s. Chelsea’s interest hinges on whether they find Brentford’s asking price reasonable.

In addition to Toney, Chelsea have revived interest in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as the window draws to a close. Although Osimhen has expressed a preference to join Paris Saint-Germain, recent reports suggest PSG is no longer in the running. Osimhen turned down an offer from Al-Ahli, with his agent stating his desire to stay in Europe. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku is expected to leave Chelsea for Napoli, reuniting with former Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte, in a deal separate from Chelsea’s pursuit of Osimhen.

Chelsea are also exploring a surprise move for Jadon Sancho before the deadline, while Manchester United have opened talks over a potential swap involving Raheem Sterling. Additionally, Kepa Arrizabalaga is close to joining Bournemouth on loan, with several other Chelsea players—Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Armando Broja, Djordje Petrovic, Carney Chukwuemeka, Cesare Casadei, David Datro Fofana, Angelo Gabriel, and Tino Anjorin—up for sale as Chelsea aims to trim Enzo Maresca’s squad.

Chelsea’s busy summer has already seen 11 new signings, including the recent £17 million agreement for teenage goalkeeper Mike Penders from Belgian side Genk, who will join next summer. The club also secured the permanent return of Joao Felix for £45 million, which facilitated Conor Gallagher’s £33 million move to Atletico Madrid. Other notable signings include Pedro Neto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Filip Jorgensen, while the club has also seen significant outgoings, including Gallagher, Thiago Silva, Ian Maatsen, and Hakim Ziyech.

As the transfer window ticks down, Chelsea continues to explore potential deals to strengthen their squad for the season ahead, with late moves for Toney, Osimhen, and Sancho all on the table. The final hours of the window could see significant activity as the Blues aim to finalize their squad.