Chelsea’s pursuit of Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens has been threatened by a rival approach from Bayern Munich, according to reports.
The Blues wanted Gittens in time for this summer’s Club World Cup and agreed personal terms with the 20-year-old, but they failed to strike a deal with Dortmund who, while open to selling, are determined to receive as much money as possible.
Talks between the two clubs are back underway and Dortmund director Sebastian Kehl recently refused to close the door to a summer departure for Gittens. The young winger remains under contract until 2028, however, meaning Dortmund are facing very little pressure to lower their demands.
With Chelsea hesitating to meet Dortmund’s asking price, Bayern Munich appear to have joined the race for his signature, with kicker noting talks are on with the player’s representatives.
Bayern are determined to sign a new winger this summer but have faced a window of frustration thus far. Top target Florian Wirtz has joined Liverpool, while preferred alternative Nico Williams is close to joining Barcelona. Sky Sport Germany claim Bayern have not yet given up hope of signing the Athletic Club star, although their chances of winning this race appear slim.
Their search for a replacement has seen Bayern register their interest in Gittens, who features on a shortlist which also includes Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo and AC Milan’s Rafael Leão.
Chelsea will hope that their pre-existing agreement with Gittens will work in their favour, and reports suggest that may be the case. The Athletic confirmed earlier this month that Gittens ”only wants to join Chelsea”, while Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that the winger is not listening to other offers at this point.
A new winger is known to be Enzo Maresca’s top transfer priority for the remainder of the summer transfer window, not least because Ukraine international Mykhailo Mudryk has recently been charged after failing a doping test.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea Sweating As Bayern Munich ‘Hijack’ Move for Priority Target.
