Chelsea’s next summer deal is just days away.
Adam Leventhal of the Athletic has picked up where David Ornstein left off on the reporting of the move of Marc Guiu to the Blues. A week ago it was first mentioned and felt pretty distant – more like the striker was just pumping up vague interest in order to secure a new contract.
Now the opposite has been shown to be true – not only are Chelsea interested, they’re looking like they’ll wrap up a move this week. The youngster has been offered a 6 year deal, with a wage good enough to make him leave his boyhood club.
Leventhal reports that Guiu is travelling to the UK for his medical today, with personal terms agreed and Chelsea happy to trigger his €6m release clause from Barcelona.
His immediate future isn’t quite as certain. Leventhal writes that he’s “seen as a Chelsea acquisition rather than one for Strasbourg,” which indicates he will be staying put rather than going on loan, which is the plan for South American defender Aaron Anselmino, also expected to join in the next few days.
What this means for Chelsea’s squad options
Whether that means our striker options for the season will be just Nicolas Jackson plus Guiu, or whether another player could yet come in, isn’t certain. Certainly the odds of bringing in an elite striking star are now longer than they’ve ever been.
Guiu is still just 18 but he’s pretty developed physically and should be able to hold his own at least as a substitute for a while as he gets up to speed in English football. Christopher Nkunku can play up top too, of course, and there are players like Deivid Washington (who must now be wondering what he’s signed up for) whose futures have yet to be decided.
