Chelsea’s quest for further attacking reinforcements has not ended with the widely reported agreement of a deal for Borussia Dortmund forward Jamie Gittens. Brighton & Hove Albion frontman João Pedro is supposedly next on the club’s ever-extending wishlist.
On the same day that the Blues managed to navigate the biblical North Carolina elements—and Benfica—to qualify for the Club World Cup quarterfinals, multiple reports claimed that they had finally concluded complex negotiations with a potential rival in the competition’s knockout stages.
Discussions over a move for Gittens seemed to stall before the tournament got underway earlier this month. However, with both clubs competing in the U.S., talks were able to continue and have accelerated to a stage where an agreement “in principle” is said to have been struck, per The Athletic.
Chelsea’s £55 million ($75.5 million) offer for Gittens has been accepted, BBC Sport revealed, with a medical soon to be scheduled and the terms of a seven-year deal already agreed by the player. Fabrizio Romano claimed that Chelsea fended off a late swoop for Gittens from Bayern Munich.
Enzo Maresca’s infamously free-spending outfit have already splashed as much as £98.9 million ($135.7 million) on new recruits this summer. Striker Liam Delap is one of the more high profile signings lining up for Chelsea at the Club World Cup and fans will be able to enjoy the talents of Brazilian starlet Estêvão in west London next season—although only after coming up against his Palmeiras side in an awkward quarterfinal.
Much like Gittens, Estêvão operates out wide, an area of the pitch in which Pedro Neto, Noni Madueke, Tyrique George and lately Cole Palmer also play. The competition for forward-thinking positions may not end there.
Chelsea are ”in talks” with Brighton over a move for their versatile Brazilian forward João Pedro, The Athletic reported. Newcastle United are also thought to be interested in the 23-year-old. The Magpies have had a £50 million ($68.6 million) bid for Pedro rebuffed by Brighton, who are demanding at least £60 million ($82.3 million), according to The Guardian.
It remains to be seen if Chelsea are willing to meet that asking price—which would take their spending this summer north of £200 million and beyond Liverpool’s current high watermark. But if it comes down to the player’s decision, the Daily Mail claim that Pedro would favour Chelsea over Newcastle.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea ‘Target’ £60 Million Premier League Star After ‘Agreeing’ Jamie Gittens Deal.