Chelsea’s summer recruitment drive continues to centre around adding more attacking quality, with the club still exploring several options across the market as they try to reshape their forward line under Xabi Alonso.
The Blues have been active in scouting a range of young and established attackers in recent weeks.
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Among the names to feature on their radar is Stuttgart forward Said El Mala, who has attracted attention across Europe after a strong breakthrough campaign in Germany.
Chelsea are also understood to retain long-standing interest in Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, who continues to develop into one of the Premier League’s most dynamic attacking midfielders.
There was also recent frustration for the Blues after Brighton moved quickly to secure highly rated AIK winger Zadok Yohanna, a player Chelsea had been tracking as part of their wider youth recruitment strategy (Florian Plettenberg).
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That setback has not slowed their overall planning, but it has reinforced the need to act decisively when opportunities arise.
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Now, an unexpected name has entered the conversation.
Chelsea hold internal talks over signing Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford has been loosely discussed at Chelsea, although any potential move appears far from straightforward.
Rashford-Barcelona
According to Simon Phillips via his Substack, Chelsea have held internal talks over a possible approach for the wantaway Man United forward this summer, but only under very specific conditions.
The key issue revolves around structure and timing.
Phillips reports that any move Chelsea would consider at this stage would almost certainly be in the form of a loan deal rather than a permanent transfer.
The club are believed to have concerns over the financial package required for a full purchase, particularly when it comes to wages.
That immediately creates complications.
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Rashford himself is understood to prefer a permanent exit from Old Trafford this summer, with the forward keen to move on and begin a fresh chapter elsewhere.
Barcelona have held a £26 million purchase option, but reports suggest they are unlikely to activate it, leaving his future open heading into the final stages of the window.
In that scenario, Rashford and his representatives are expected to explore permanent options across Europe.
Chelsea’s position, however, is cautious.
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Phillips suggests the club would not be willing to meet the salary required for a long-term deal unless there was a significant shift in expectations from the player’s side.
As things stand, that makes a permanent move highly unlikely.
A loan deal remains the only realistic pathway, but even that depends on timing and circumstances later in the window.
If Rashford is still without a permanent destination, and both player and United are open to a temporary solution, Chelsea could revisit the situation.
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However, at this stage, the expectation is that other clubs will take priority in the 28-year-old's search for a new home.
For now, Chelsea’s interest is described as 'tentative'.
The club continue to assess a wide pool of attacking options, with Rogers and El Mala still viewed as more realistic profiles in line with their long-term recruitment model.
Rashford, meanwhile, represents a different type of opportunity entirely.
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