Chelsea chief Todd Boehly is willing to make a significant bid for one £85 million Paris-Saint Germain star this summer.
Chelsea pursuing new attacking signings for Maresca
Until very recently, Chelsea were thought to be the lead contenders to sign Michael Olise from Crystal Palace, until the 22-year-old opted to join Bayern Munich instead.
Olise chose Bayern over Chelsea to play in the Champions League next season, dealing a setback to co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, who are attempting to back new manager Enzo Maresca with quality new additions.
They still want to bring in a new winger after missing out on Olise (Nizaar Kinsella), and are currently weighing up alternatives. Reports have since emerged that Chelsea could submit a bid for Atalanta star Ademola Lookman, who spearheaded his side to a surprise Europa League triumph at the expense of Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen and will cost around £50 million.
| Chelsea’s top scorers in all competitions | Goals |
|---|---|
| Cole Palmer | 25 |
| Nicolas Jackson | 17 |
| Raheem Sterling | 10 |
| Noni Madueke | 8 |
| Conor Gallagher | 7 |
There are other star wide players who could be on the move this summer, like Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, and he’s also been linked with a move to Chelsea this week. A more expensive but very highly-rated option, according to some reports, is PSG winger Xavi Simons. The Netherlands international started 32 Bundesliga games on loan at RB Leipzig last term, scoring eight goals and racking up 11 assists over a very productive season.
Chelsea willing to make significant bid for Simons
According to reports in Spain, Chelsea are willing to make a significant bid for Simons, but it is unclear whether they’re prepared to go as high as his £85 million asking price.
The 21-year-old is also being chased by Bayern Munich, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Arsenal, while Luis Enrique could even decide to keep hold of the Dutchman for next campaign, so it won’t be an easy deal by any stretch.
“It will be interesting to see if that’s what Enrique wants, but based on what he’s said publicly, he seems very keen on Simons’ profile,” said Ligue 1 expert and CBS Sports correspondent Jonathan Johnson on Simons’ future in the French capital (via CaughtOffside).
“There’s been talk of potential offers from the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, and Barcelona, but I think it would have to depend on the offer, because I don’t really see PSG doing business unless there’s an offer that’s deemed too good to turn down.
“I expect decisions to be made soon, and PSG’s preparations for next season can even start now, given that they’ve gone out of the Champions League. There’s still a cup final to win, but Ligue 1 has been confirmed, so Enrique can start discussing with the club which positions need reinforcing and how Simons might fit into his plans for next season.”
