As Chelsea gears up for the upcoming Club World Cup, the club is making bold moves in the transfer market to boost their lineup.
Their latest target? Borussia Dortmund’s promising young winger Jamie Gittens.
With the special transfer deadline just hours away, Chelsea has put forward a significantly improved offer to try and secure the 20-year-old English talent.
Chelsea’s Improved Offer for Jamie Gittens
Chelsea initially offered Dortmund around £29.5 million for Gittens, but Dortmund rejected the bid, hoping for a fee closer to £40 million.
Now, the Blues have come back with a stronger proposal of €50 million (about £42 million) as they try to wrap up the deal before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.
The club is also ready to offer Gittens a lengthy seven-year contract to keep him at Stamford Bridge for the long haul.
Gittens Keen on the Move to Stamford Bridge
Reports suggest that Jamie Gittens himself is eager to join Chelsea, having already communicated his desire to Dortmund’s management.
The timing is crucial because Chelsea wants to register him in time for the Club World Cup.
Enzo Maresca’s Dortmund team is also heading to the U.S. for the tournament, facing LAFC and Fluminense in their opening matches.
The special transfer window connected to the Club World Cup closes Tuesday at 7 pm before reopening the following week.
Background on Jamie Gittens and His Career So Far
Jamie Gittens is no stranger to Chelsea, having had a brief stint at their academy in his youth before moving on.
He later joined Borussia Dortmund’s ranks, making his senior Bundesliga debut shortly after turning 18.
Since then, he’s appeared in over 100 games, scoring 17 goals, with last season marking his breakout year—netting 12 goals and assisting three times across 48 matches.
Chelsea has been eyeing him since January, especially after deciding against pursuing a permanent deal for Jadon Sancho.
The Collapse of Chelsea’s Pursuit of AC Milan’s Mike Maignan
While Chelsea focuses on Gittens, their attempt to sign AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan recently fell apart.
The Blues had intensified their interest in Maignan, hoping to finalize a deal before the special transfer window closes.
However, they balked at Milan’s asking price, which they considered inflated—what some insiders call a “Club World Cup tax.”
Milan reportedly wanted around £20 million for Maignan, whose contract runs until the end of next season.
Chelsea’s Goalkeeping Situation and Future Plans
Currently, Chelsea has five goalkeepers under contract—Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen, Djordje Petrovic, Mike Penders, and Kepa Arrizabalaga—but none have fully convinced the fans or the club’s hierarchy.
Despite the Maignan deal collapsing, Chelsea’s management reportedly still trusts their existing goalkeepers to cover the position, at least for now.
Maignan, who joined Milan in 2021 and helped them win the Serie A title in 2021-22, could still move clubs once the transfer window reopens on June 16.
Recent Signings and Chelsea’s Summer Spending
Although the Maignan deal fell through, Chelsea has been busy this summer.
The club recently signed defender Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg for £12 million, adding to earlier acquisitions like Liam Delap and Sporting Lisbon’s young prospect Dario Essugo.
Altogether, Chelsea has already spent around £60 million this summer as they look to strengthen the squad ahead of a busy season.