Chelsea have been told in no uncertain terms by Club Brugge midfielder Ardon Jashari that he isn’t interested in making the switch to Stamford Bridge, according to reports.
Writing on his X account, Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri claimed that both the Blues and Bayer Leverkusen have “launched” a “move” to sign the Swiss international.
However, AC Milan have been locked in talks with Club Brugge about signing for several weeks and it is believed that Jashari has his heart set on a switch to the San Siro.
Whether that move will actually happen, though, it is not known. The Rossoneri have yet to meet the player’s €40m (£35m) asking price.
Why were Chelsea interested in Jashari?
The 23-year-old is a holding midfielder by trade so it’s possible they were considering him as a potential replacement for Romeo Lavia.
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While he isn’t as good as Lavia defensively, Jashari is excellent when it comes to progressing the ball, something that the Belgian is also very proficient at.
Of course, Lavia’s problems with injuries have given head coach Enzo Maresca plenty of headaches, so another option in that position would be very helpful.
The Blues are pressing ahead with a move for another midfielder
At the moment, it does look like RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons is the priority. He is very much a No. 10 or even an inside forward, so he is definitely a very different player to Jashari.
Leipzig are said to be holding out for a fee in excess of £60m, and that money may need to be raised through additional sales. Read our article on the 7 members of the first-team squad who could be offloaded here.
Most still believe that Simons will end up moving to London, but it appears a deal for Jashari is a complete non-starter.
Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here