There are a number of players with whom Chelsea have been linked over the past few weeks. That being said, the Blues are not going to have a ton of budget to work with this summer, unless they let several of their current players go at first. They have no Champions League football next season, no long-term front-of-shirt in sight and were also fined by UEFA last year.
So, Chelsea might need to be clever with their transfer business this summer. One idea might be to sign quality talents from the clubs that end up getting relegated. Either West Ham United or Tottenham Hotspur will face that fate at the end of today’s play.
It is more likely to be the former than the latter. And if that is the case, Chelsea could have a few decent options to consider. One of them is Jarrod Bowen. But there is some bad news in that respect.
According to a report from Pete O’Rourke in Football Insider, Bowen is on Manchester United’s radar as West Ham United face getting relegated from the Premier League.
Manchester United have advantages over Chelsea in the race for Bowen
Manchester United could have quite a few advantages over Chelsea, if it ends up becoming a foot race to sign Bowen this summer. Firstly, they will be playing Champions League football, which is a big attraction, especially for a player who has never experienced that.
Secondly, Manchester United do not seem to be working under the same wage structure as Chelsea are. That could be a problem when it comes to convincing players as well, as their agents will look for the biggest contracts possible.
Thirdly, Manchester United simply look like a team on an upward trajectory. As for Chelsea, it is hard to say where they are headed.
Chelsea’s advantages over Man Utd in race for Bowen
Of course, this does not mean that Chelsea do not have a few advantages of their own. Being based in London is one of them. Some reports have claimed that Bowen is keen to stay in the city, if he leaves West Ham.
They also have Xabi Alonso coming in. The Spaniard is one of the biggest names in management and players will want to play for him. Especially when you look at his record of getting the best out of them.
But ultimately, it will come down to what happens today. If West Ham United do stay up, it is quite likely that Bowen will continue playing for them.
Sourav Mahanty
Sourav Mahanty has covered teams like Chelsea, Celtic, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG and more over a career that has now lasted a decade. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, SB Nation, FanSided, The Sportster and aggregated through Bleacher Report and NewsNow. Outside of football, he is also interested in basketball, cricket and professional wrestling.
View all articles →