Chelsea are unwilling to offload Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling in part exchange for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, according to reports.
The Frenchman, who scored 22 goals last season, has a high asking price, with Frankfurt said to be holding out for €100m (£85m).
To reduce the cost of signing Ekitike, Chelsea.news report that Chilwell and Sterling were “offered” to the Bundesliga side.
The pair cost a combined £97.5m to purchase but it is believed they are now only valued at €10m (£8.5m) each by the Blues. They were hoping to bid €60m plus both players to secure Ekitike’s services.
Of course, the value of such a proposal would still fall considerably short of Frankfurt’s current valuation.
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Chilwell and Sterling’s wages are a problem
Chelsea’s willingness to offload them is due to the size of their salaries. During their respective loan spells at Crystal Palace and Arsenal, some of their earnings were taken off the club’s books.
However, after returning to Stamford Bridge, the Blues will pay them a combined £525,000 a week, which is £27.3m a year.
Chilwell’s contract expires in 2027 while Sterling’s ends at the same time, so they could potentially cost another £55.6m if they remain with the team until the end of their current deals. It means letting them leave for modest fees, or as part of a player exchange, would save money in the long run.
What is the latest on Chelsea’s move for Ekitike?
Frankfurt are not expected to be interested in Chilwell or Sterling even if the Blues are prepared to pay a higher amount in cash. For now, the two sides are not close to finding an agreement on the forward.
It should be pointed out that both Liverpool and Manchester United are keen on the forward as well, but Frankfurt’s demands are putting off teams from making bids at this stage.
In other news, we give player ratings after Chelsea beat Los Angeles FC 2-0 in the Club World Cup