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Contact made: Chelsea open talks to sign "complete" Club World Cup star in Ekitike alternative

As rumours continue to rumble on over Chelsea's chase to sign Hugo Ekitike, the Blues have reportedly opened talks to sign a fresh alternative option this summer.

Chelsea face competition for Hugo Ekitike

Ekitike is certainly a man in demand this summer. According to reports, Chelsea are joined in the race for the Frenchman's signature by both Liverpool and Manchester United in a deal which could yet cost as much as £84m. As ever, the Blues will be keen to make a statement against their Premier League opposition, but Liverpool's fresh ruthless streak in the market could yet prove to be a problem on that front.

If those at Stamford Bridge do suffer a rare defeat in the transfer window then they must still turn towards alternative attacking options. Nicolas Jackson's red card against Flamengo as his side lost 3-1 at the Club World Cup once again highlighted why Chelsea could do with an upgraded and more reliable option to lead their frontline.

Disappointed by the forward's second red card of the season, manager Enzo Maresca told reporters: "It happened against Newcastle and today. I am not 100% sure it's a red card compared to the Newcastle one. It's a little bit of a bad moment for Nico. The red card has nothing to do with Nico's future... Nico knows in both games it was not good for the team."

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There could be more bad news for Jackson following his red card if recent rumours are anything to go by, too. With the race to sign Ekitike hanging in the balance, Chelsea have reportedly turned their attention towards another option.

Chelsea open talks to sign Kolo Muani

According to L'Equipe, as relayed by Get French Football News, Chelsea have now opened talks to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain this summer. The Frenchman is currently still on loan at Juventus courtesy of their participation in the Club World Cup, but will have a decision to make regarding his future sooner or later.

randal-kolo-muani-juventus

It's then that Chelsea could push on and welcome a player who may replace Jackson. It would certainly be a deserved move for Kolo Muani too. The forward struggled at PSG, but has finally rediscovered his most clinical form whilst on loan in Italy.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref) Randal Kolo Muani Nicolas Jackson

Minutes 1,518 2,220

Goals 10 10

Assists 2 5

Expected Goals 9.4 12.3

Having previously been described as "complete" by France teammate Kylian Mbappe, Kolo Muani has finally returned to his clinical best at Juventus. Whilst Jackson has underperformed in expected goals, the Chelsea target has matched his 10-goal tally in around 700 less minutes with an XG of just 9.4.

Still just 26 years old, Kolo Muani would be an ideal alternative to Ekitike for Chelsea this summer.

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