A surge in the value of Chelsea transfer target Jadon Sancho could wreck attempts to take the Borussia Dortmund winger to Stamford Bridge.
According to new figures from the CIES Football Observatory, Sancho will come with a price tag of around €179.1m if he is sold this summer, a rise of €10.2m since January.
That makes him the third most valuable player in world football behind Kylian Mbappe (€259.2m) and Raheem Sterling (€194.7m) - and possibly out of even Chelsea’s considerable financial reach.
The Blues had planned a significant overhaul of their squad this summer, but the football lockdown sparked by the coronavirus outbreak has made all clubs reassess their spending plans.
They have already spent £33m signing Hakim Ziyech from Ajax and reports suggest they are about to complete a £49m deal to bring in Timo Werner from RB Leipzig.
The £60m-rated Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell is also on Chelsea’s radar, while they have also been linked with Bayer Leverkusen attacker Kai Havertz, valued at £100m by the Bundesliga club.
Even with Pedro and Willian both expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, it seems something will have to give with Chelsea’s spending plans - and that could well be the 20-year-old Sancho, who is also wanted by Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Sancho has been in exceptional form for Borussia Dortmund this season, scoring 17 goals and contributing 16 assists in 28 Bundesliga appearances, ranking him among the most productive players in Europe.
CIES Football Observatory uses its own algorithm to rate player values based on their age, performances and interest from rival clubs.
