Dortmund have rejected Chelsea’s informal approach of bundling a player plus some cash to lure away Erling Haaland this summer. The Blues were ready to include either Tammy Abraham or Callum Hudson-Odoi in the deal to bring down the astronomical asking fee for the Norwegian striker.
Thomas Tuchel’s side won the Champions League, but their striker Timo Werner did not show enough reliability last season. Hence the German tactician reportedly won’t be looking to hand him the entire responsibility of being the primary goalscorer. The manager would love someone with a great penalty box presence, and there aren’t any better options than Haaland currently.
Several outlets reported that Callum Hudson-Odoi will not be included in the player swap deal. The young winger has developed a great connection with Tuchel and wants to stay at the club even if that means fighting for his place against some world-class players. While Haaland remains Chelsea’s priority, sources close to the entire development have already claimed that it looks like a very tall task for the West London outfit.
The reigning DfB Pokal winners are not ready to lose a player of Haaland’s stature this summer. The Black and Yellows already lost a star player in Jadon Sancho, who departed the Signal Iduna Park to join Manchester United. The England international’s £73million move will soon be completed, and he will be presented as a United player.
United and Real Madrid are also weighing in a deal for Haaland. According to Sky Germany, his agent Mino Raiola has asked for a commission of £34million as a part of any deal for the Norway international.
Chelsea have also identified Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Inter Milan marksman Romelu Lukaku as Halaand’s worthy alternatives. But even getting any of those two forwards will be equally tough for the Blues.
New Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo has clearly revealed that Kane is going nowhere this summer. Also, Inter have identified Lukaku as an untouchable player in this transfer window. So even in these cases, the Blues will have to spend a fortune to secure any of the deal.
Haaland has been exquisite with his finishing as he netted 40 goals in 43 appearances for Dortmund, guiding them to the DfB Pokal title last season. He can solve Chelsea’s finishing problem as Tuchel looks to improve even after winning the Champions League last season. Chelsea have not been clinical for a long time now. They struggled to take their chances during Frank Lampard’s tenure, and it was the same even during Maurizio Sarri’s stint at Stamford Bridge.
