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Football London
Football London
Sport
Daniel Orme

Why Chelsea's deal for Erling Haaland transfer alternative could prove troublesome this summer

Chelsea have been presented with a number of problems this summer in their efforts to sign a striker.

The Blues have been prioritising a move for Borussia Dortmund hitman Erling Haaland.

A number of reports have suggested that Chelsea have already agreed personal terms with the Norwegian but as of yet, a deal has failed to come to fruition. Dortmund’s current stance is seemingly that Haaland is not for sale.

That has forced Thomas Tuchel to look elsewhere for recruits and a number of names have already been linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge, including Robert Lewandowski, Romelu Lukaku, Lautaro Martinez and Gerard Moreno.

A new name on the list is reportedly Stuttgart forward Sasa Kaladjzic. According to The Athletic, the Austrian is on the Blues’ radar should they fail to secure Haaland.

It is certainly easy to see why, considering the 24-year-old’s form in the Bundesliga last season, having struck on 16 occasions and notched six assists despite having started just 23 league games.

Meanwhile, having just two years left on his current deal at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, his price could continue to fall.

Despite that, a deal with his current employers could prove more difficult than first perceived.

According to The Athletic, Stuttgart have already managed to scoop almost £34million in sales this summer. They at first earnt £20m for the sale of Nicolas Gonzalez to Fiorentina, whilst Gregor Kobel joined Borussia Dortmund for £13.5m.

It all means that the Bundesliga outfit are under no pressure to sell further and will be desperate not to lose any more key players - not least their top scorer last season.

It is thought that a fee of £34m could potentially be enough to convince Stuttgart to sell this summer - a price that would maybe be inconceivable for Chelsea considering that Kaladjzic would potentially be a back-up option should he arrive at Stamford Bridge.

So whilst plumping for a Haaland alternative might seem more appealing for Marina Granovskaia initially, even those deals certainly present their own problems.

Do you want an exclusive pre-season Chelsea preview - both in your inbox and through your letterbox? Head over here to find out more and secure your copy!

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