Chelsea’s pursuit of Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens seems to have hit a bit of a roadblock. The Blues were ideally looking to bring the winger in ahead of the Club World Cup, in which they will face LAFC in their first game. However, with the deadline at 7pm on Tuesday, it was not to be for the Blues.
They already lost out on a deal for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano. That means that, after the Gittens deal was not completed in team, striker Liam Delap and defender Mamadou Sarr are the only new players to have arrived ahead of the competition in the USA.
Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in action with Lille's Bafode Diakite
Whatever happens with Gittens in the long run, he might not be the only winger that switches to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Chelsea’s Gittens alternatives
It was confirmed by Romano that the West London outfit want to sign Gittens ‘even if it’s later this summer’, explaining there is ‘no rush’ with the move. That suggests it is an independent move to their pursuit of another Premier League winger.
This time in conversation with DAZN, Romano suggested that the Blues may still pursue a move for Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho. He explained that the Argentina international is ‘appreciated’ by the higher-ups at Stamford Bridge.
They might not be the only side in contention to sign Garnacho this summer. Bayer Leverkusen, now managed by former United boss Erik ten Hag, ‘called’ for the winger according to Romano, but he explained the player wants to stay in the Premier League.
Garnacho
As for a fee, it was reported by TEAMTalk at the end of last week that the Red Devils would expect at least £50m for Garnacho.
Why Garnacho would be a good signing
Despite a tough season at times for Garnacho, there is no doubt he is an exciting talent, described as a “special” player by football statistician Statman Dave. He ended the campaign in strong fashion, too.
Garnacho-Man-Utd
The 20-year-old, who has already won three major trophies for club and country, ended 2024/25 with 21 goals and assists to his name in all competitions. He managed that tally in 58 games for United.
In the Premier League, the former Atletico Madrid academy player struggled for consistency. He scored six goals and assisted twice in 36 games. Almost half of those goal involvements, including this stunning strike away to Brentford, came at the end of the season, where Garnacho grabbed four in nine appearances.
Perhaps Garnacho could actually be considered a bigger talent than Chelsea’s other target, Gittens. Make no mistake about it, the England under-21 international is an exciting player. He managed 12 goals and five assists in 48 games for Dortmund last season.
That is, of course, fewer than the numbers Garnacho put up. With that being said, it is worth remembering that the Red Devils' number 17 played ten more games, although he was far more productive.
Dortmund-Jamie-Gittens
On top of that, Garnacho’s contribution to silverware for United has been imperative to their success. He scored in an FA Cup final against Manchester City in 2023/24, showing a relentless nature to press City and then pounce on an error at the back.
There are also standout statistics on FBref which suggest Garnacho is an even bigger talent than Gittens. For example, in all competitions last season, the United winger averaged 1.68 key passes and 5.8 progressive carries per 90 minutes, compared to the Dortmund star’s 1.07 key passes and 5.53 progressive carries each game.
Garnacho & Gittens key stats compared (all comps)
Stat (per 90)
Goals and assists
Key passes
Progressive passes
Progressive carries
Ball recoveries
Stats from FBref
Whilst Gittens would be a strong addition to the Chelsea squad, Garnacho is perhaps a far bigger talent. The 20-year-old has three major trophies to his name, all of which he has contributed to, and the underlying numbers show just how deadly he can be.
alejandro garnacho
£50m could be a bargain for Chelsea, if they decide to pursue a move for a player who can add a whole new dimension to their attack.
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Chelsea are looking for signings to bolster their attack