Chelsea have submitted an official £55 million bid to sign Borussia Dortmund’s electrifying winger Jamie Gittens, with negotiations ongoing to secure the 20-year-old England Under-21 international before the FIFA Club World Cup kicks off on June 14.
According to reports from The Athletic, led by David Ornstein, Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, and Fabrice Hawkins, a seven-year contract has been agreed upon with Gittens, who is eager to return to his boyhood club, having briefly trained in Chelsea’s youth academy before moving to Manchester City and then Dortmund in 2020.
Gittens, a dynamic left winger known for his pace, dribbling, and flair, enjoyed a breakout 2024-25 season at Dortmund, scoring 12 goals and providing five assists in 48 appearances, including four goals in the Champions League.
His standout moment came against Real Madrid, where he became the youngest Englishman to score against the Spanish giants in the competition.
However, his playing time dwindled under Dortmund’s new manager, Niko Kovac, whose tactical shift to a 3-4-3 system favored wing-backs over traditional wingers, leaving Gittens frustrated and open to a move.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Gittens is driven by their need for a right-footed left winger to bolster Enzo Maresca’s squad, particularly with Mykhailo Mudryk’s ongoing doping suspension and uncertainties surrounding Jadon Sancho’s future after an inconsistent loan spell from Manchester United.
The Blues have opted against making Sancho’s move permanent, prioritizing Gittens as a long-term investment with a reported release clause of around £50-60 million, though Dortmund initially valued him as high as £83-100 million.
The west London club, fresh off their UEFA Conference League triumph, are keen to finalize the deal swiftly to integrate Gittens before their Club World Cup campaign in the United States, where they will face Los Angeles FC, Flamengo, and Espérance de Tunis in Group D.
Chelsea have already secured Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap for £30 million, signaling an aggressive transfer window to strengthen their attack.
Gittens’ potential arrival is seen as a coup, with his 3.57 successful take-ons per game ranking him in the top 1% of wingers in Europe, adding pace and unpredictability to Chelsea’s flanks.
While no club-to-club agreement has been reached, Dortmund’s openness to selling Gittens stems from their financial considerations and his reduced role under Kovac.
The German club, who qualified for the Champions League on the final day of the Bundesliga season, view the sale as part of a summer rebuild, with sporting director Sebastian Kehl acknowledging the need to reduce wages. reporting Dortmund’s willingness to sell as Gittens has expressed his desire to join Chelsea.
However, Chelsea face competition from Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich, all of whom have scouted the versatile forward. Arsenal, in particular, see Gittens as a potential alternative to Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams, while Bayern aim to keep him in the Bundesliga.
Despite this, Chelsea are in pole position, with talks progressing rapidly and Gittens reportedly prioritizing a move to Stamford Bridge, where he believes he can push for a senior England call-up under Thomas Tuchel ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The transfer saga is far from over, with Dortmund’s valuation potentially dropping below the £60 million release clause if no Champions League qualification is secured next season.
Chelsea’s urgency to wrap up the deal before June 10, the close of FIFA’s special transfer window, underscores their ambition to make a statement at the Club World Cup and beyond.
ConfirmNewws reporting Dortmund’s readiness to lower their asking price to £50-58 million, fueling optimism that Gittens could soon don the Blues’ jersey.
Sources: ConfirmNews
