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Chelsea are stepping up their pursuit of West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville, according to reports.
Writing in his Substack column, journalist Simon Phillips revealed that talks are “accelerating” to snap up the Netherlands international.
Summerville has also been heavily linked with a switch to Manchester United, and the Red Devils regard him as one of their top targets to strengthen their options on the left flank.
However, they will not make a move for the 24-year-old until Marcus Rashford’s future is resolved, and that gives the Blues a window of opportunity to sign Summerville ahead of their rivals.
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How much will Chelsea need to pay?
It has been reported by TEAMtalk that a clause in Summerville’s contract was triggered on West Ham’s relegation, which means he is available for £40m.
Usually, though, such clauses need to be paid in full, which is not always the preference of clubs who like to spread payments out over instalments.
For that reason, Xabi Alonso’s side may end up paying more than £40m to avoid having to splash out a sizeable upfront fee on Summerville.
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Why are the club interested in Summerville?
It is believed that the Blues are open to offloading Alejandro Garnacho this summer, so a replacement for the Argentinian international will be needed.
Serie A side Roma are said to have already made a formal enquiry for the ex-Manchester United player, and there is thought to be at least one other Champions League club pursuing his signature.
A loan proposal will not be accepted for Garnacho, with the club only considering permanent deals. It remains to be seen, though, whether they can recoup the £40m they spent to bring him to Stamford Bridge last summer.