- Chelsea had tried to sign Jamie Gittens in FIFA’s pre-Club World Cup window
- The player is said to be keen on a move with a reported seven-year deal in place
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Chelsea’s move for Borussia Dortmund star Jamie Gittens could be finalised ‘imminently’, according to reports.
The English forward has been linked with a move to west London throughout the summer, and the Blues had tried to push through with a deal ahead of the Club World Cup registration window.
They were rebuffed then, however talks have reportedly continued regardless between the two parties, with hope of an agreement being met shortly, according to David Ornstein.
Chelsea’s pursuit of the young forward had appeared to hit a bit of a stumbling block when it emerged that Bayern Munich were interested.
Their intervention, though, is now not thought to prove an issue, with the player himself preferring a move to Chelsea.
Gittens, who came through the ranks at Manchester City before moving to Germany, is said to remain ‘fully committed’ to the concept of joining Chelsea this summer.
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An agreement is believed to be in place already between player and club, with terms including a seven-year deal which has become fairly routine for the Blues in recent seasons.
With both teams at the Club World Cup in the United States, talks between the two have been aided somewhat, despite not being able to agree a deal ahead of the early window slamming shut for the tournament
The Premier League side’s initial £42million bid was rejected, with Dortmund wanting closer to £50m for their young star.
Dortmund Sporting director Sebastian Kehl is confident the winger will remain ‘professional’ as speculation continues over his future in Germany.
‘We’ve had one or two conversations with Jamie in the last few days,’ Kehl said.
‘He’s professional enough to know he has to perform. That’s also in his nature. Jamie will still be very important for us in this tournament. We’ll see what happens after that.
‘But I don’t have a negative opinion of him.’
Chelsea are considering a summer swoop for Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United, who are in turn looking at a potential move for Christopher Nkunku.
Nkunku is not seen as a priority for United currently but rather an option.
Garnacho has been on Chelsea’s winger shortlist since January, when they were tempted to try for the 20-year-old Argentinian.
It was noted at the time that they could hold an advantage over rival clubs if they revisited the transfer this summer.
However, there could be concerns over his character, given his history of United fallouts.
