Marcus Thuram: Chelsea target makes decisive transfer decision

Robin Bairner

• 25 Jan 2023 11:52 GMT
• 3 min read

Marcus Thuram has elected to reject a move to Chelsea during the January transfer window and hold out for a deal in the summer

Thuram has been linked with a string of top clubs this month, with an asking price of €12 million because he is out of contract with Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer having him touted as a bargain signing.

Foot Mercato reports, however, that he has elected to stay put in Germany and turn down the opportunity to move to Graham Potter’s side.

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Thuram is enjoying a fine season with Gladbach. He is the third leading scorer in the Bundesliga with 10 goals and is coming off a decent showing at the 2022 World Cup, where he was a support player in the France team that reached the final.

Off the back of this breakout season in his career, Chelsea had initiated concrete talks with the player as they sought to find a solution for their scoring problems at centre-forward.

The reports in France state that these were unsuccessful, with Thuram electing to assess his options in the summer.

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Why Thuram rejected Chelsea

It’s not clear exactly why Thuram elected to turn down Chelsea, where he would stand a strong chance of starting on a regular basis, but there are two clear reasons why he might have taken this stance.

Firstly, there is the uncertainty over where the Blues will be in the summer. They are experiencing a poor season and find themselves in the middle of the Premier League table. Their project is a long-term one but there is uncertainty over Graham Potter’s status as manager while they could well miss out on Champions League football – something that Thuram will surely be offered elsewhere.

Secondly, it could well be financially advantageous for the player to wait until the summer. Not only could there be a greater bidding war over his services – the likes of Manchester United and PSG have been linked with him – but some of the €12m transfer fee could head directly into his pocket.

Thuram to Chelsea might not be a dead move – but it looks like it will be a delayed one.