Christopher Nkunku signed a pre-contract agreement with the Blues last year while playing for RB Leipzig, and this summer, he finalized a £52 million transfer to Chelsea after doing so.
Ivan Toney of Brentford has reportedly caught Chelsea’s attention for some time, and when his suspension from football expires in January, a move for the striker could be considered. football.london has learned that Chelsea is preparing a move to sign the England international.
However, it is risky in and of itself to sign someone who has missed more than half the season due to a suspension. The 27-year-old, who scored 21 goals in 35 games last season, was among the top attackers in the Premier League.
Toney’s Gtech Community Stadium contract is slated to expire in 2025, and it’s been said that Brentford values him at over £70 million. Simon Phillips claims that the Blues have even considered attempting a pre-deal to sign him.
Although no agreement has yet been reached, this does not necessarily mean that it won’t. While Brentford wants to know what other teams are really interested in, Chelsea is still pushing for it.
Since Arsenal and Tottenham are also interested in signing Toney in January, the Bees will be expecting to secure a hefty transfer fee for the England international. A bidding battle could start as a result, increasing his market value even further.
In the past, Chelsea was successful in reaching a pre-contract agreement with RB Leipzig to sign Christopher Nkunku. While playing in the Bundesliga last year, the Frenchman agreed to join the Blues, and when the 2022–2023 season was over, he completed a £52 million transfer to Stamford Bridge.
Nkunku, 25, was viewed as a significant acquisition to assist Chelsea’s attack before the 2023–24 season, but the injury he sustained will keep him out of action for some time. This season, Nicolas Jackson has shown signs of being a dynamic striker, but questions about his final product remain after the Senegalese attacker wasted some incredible opportunities in his first four games.
Toney is a dependable and proven striker in the Premier League, and Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino may find great value in their decision to purchase him. Despite having already signed Jackson and Nkunku, the Blues manager was eager to bolster the attack during the summer transfer window. On deadline day, Cole Palmer joined Stamford Bridge from Manchester City.
Chelsea might try to sell players like Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Cucurella, who are both out of favor under Pochettino, in order to earn money to sign Toney. Another player whose future at Stamford Bridge is in doubt is Ian Maatsen, who turned out a £31.5 million return to Burnley in the summer.
