Chelsea endured a busy opening transfer window of the summer, securing a deal for Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, but they failed to land some of their other targets.
Following Tuesday evening’s 7pm deadline, there will be a six-day break before the window reopens on June 16. Clubs will then have until September 1 to complete their business for the 2025/26 season.
In the meantime, Chelsea will head stateside to compete in this year’s FIFA Club World Cup. They are one of two English clubs to qualify, alongside Manchester City, with European heavyweights such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain also involved.
Here, football.london takes a look at the latest Chelsea transfer news and rumours…
Gittens makes feelings clear
The big news on deadline day was Chelsea’s failed pursuit of Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens. The Blues stepped up their interest in the 20-year-old last week but were unable to reach an agreement with Dortmund, who held firm on their valuation in the final hours of the window.
According to Sky Sports, Gittens was sold on the move to Chelsea and was 'not happy' with how events unfolded. He reportedly trained alone before driving away from the training ground at speed, seemingly in frustration a deal would not be completed in time.
Instead, the winger has been named in Dortmund’s squad for the Club World Cup, meaning Chelsea will now have to wait until after the tournament concludes to revive their interest.
Football.london says: Chelsea were right not to cave to Dortmund’s demands just to get the deal over the line before heading to the US, especially with reports suggesting the player is keen on the move. With the rest of the summer ahead, Chelsea have time to work on a compromise. That said, with Gittens set to feature for Dortmund in the Club World Cup, staying injury-free will be crucial if Chelsea are to revisit talks later this month.
Price set for another target
Should Chelsea decide to cool their interest in Gittens and explore alternative targets, Manchester United ’s Alejandro Garnacho is one player who continues to be linked with a move to Stamford Bridge. While it’s unlikely Chelsea would pursue both players, The Independent claim the Blues are among several clubs monitoring Garnacho’s situation, with a permanent departure from Old Trafford looking increasingly likely.
Aston Villa, Atletico Madrid, Napoli and Bayer Leverkusen have also shown interest, but the 20-year-old won’t come cheap. United have reportedly slapped a staggering £70 million price tag on the winger as they look to raise funds for their own summer recruitment.
Football.london says: It’s a steep fee for a player who seemingly doesn’t feature in Ruben Amorim's plans, so it’s no surprise Chelsea are weighing up alternatives. Even with Dortmund’s reported asking price of £55 million for Gittens, he still represents a more affordable option. However, Garnacho does have one key advantage in Premier League experience. Gittens, by contrast, has yet to play a senior game in England, having only featured at youth level for Chelsea and Manchester City before moving to Germany in 2020.
football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel
Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Want to keep up to date with the breaking and important Chelsea stories whilst on the move? Well now you can!
Click this link to follow the football.london Chelsea WhatsApp channel, where you'll be kept up to date on the latest Blues news wherever you are.
Just remember to turn on the notifications once you've followed, and you won't miss a beat!