Chelsea Closing In on Jamie Bynoe-Gittens After Initial Bid Rejected

Chelsea have decided to come back with an improved offer as they attempt to sign Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Chelsea saw a bid for Bynoe-Gittens worth over €35million rejected, with Borussia Dortmund refusing to sell the player for a cut-price fee. The 20-year-old is desperate to join the Blues, with personal terms already agreed. Chelsea therefore remain in talks with Dortmund and are now sizing up a new offer which will include structured add-ons. Chelsea have been looking at a series of options including Bynoe-Gittens, Francisco Trincao and Jamal Musiala, while Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic is also on the agenda as Mauricio Pochettino seeks to add firepower before the window closes.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Bynoe-Gittens is coming off the back of a stellar season for Borussia Dortmund, scoring eight goals and picking up four assists in 19 appearances. Chelsea are short of both left-footed attackers and wide men in general and he would add a new dimension to Pochettino’s attack. The only real argument against signing Bynoe-Gittens is that Rayan Cherki, a playmaker who can also play wide, is available on a free transfer next summer. However, should Chelsea sign Bynoe-Gittens, Cherki could always be brought in on a Bosman next year if the deal was logistically possible. Bynoe-Gittens has moved dramatically up the Chelsea wish-list and is now almost certainly their priority attacking target.

WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA AND BORUSSIA DORTMUND?

Chelsea are desperate to get an attacker in before the end of the window and have opted to back Pochettino’s judgement on Bynoe-Gittens. He is a player the Blues have tracked for a long time but with a new No 9 yet to come to the fore, Pochettino would rather get an attacker in the building that he rates rather than settle for a ‘solution’ forward he is not convinced by. Having let Trevoh Chalobah join Newcastle on loan, Chelsea are expected to focus all their attentions on bidding for Bynoe-Gittens now before returning to the market for a forward and potentially even a versatile midfielder in the final days of the window.