Revealed: Europe's most in-form forward rejected Chelsea transfer

Cameron Smith

26 Sept 2023 14:00 BST
4 min read

Serhou Guirassy, Europe’s most in-form striker, rejected a transfer to Chelsea back in 2020, in favour of joining Stade Rennais.

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Guirassy has netted an incredible 10 goals in just five Bundesliga games so far this season and he currently leads the European Golden Shoe race, ahead of the likes of Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.

The 27-year-old joined Stuttgart this summer, with the German side paying a modest €9 million to sign him from Rennes. That fee already looks like a bargain, with Stuttgart sitting pretty in third place in the Bundesliga table, largely thanks to Guirassy’s goals.

However, things could have gone very differently for Guirassy if he made a different decision three years ago.

The Guinean forward had the opportunity to join Chelsea from Amiens, but he opted against moving to Stamford Bridge, according to the French club’s sporting director John Williams.

In November 2020, after Rennes faced Chelsea in the Champions League group stages, Williams told Le Parisien: “He [Guirassy] refused to go to Chelsea during the last window.

"Serhou made a sporting choice when he could earn more money with the London team. He wanted to continue in a club where he was sure to have some playing time and not relive an experience like the one in Koln where he was a substitute.

“The choice fell on Rennes because coach Julien Stephan assured him that he was counting on him."

In total, Guirassy scored 25 goals in 81 appearances for Rennes before he joined Stuttgart on loan last season. The Bundesliga club then made the deal permanent in 2023.

Chelsea weren’t the only club interested in signing Guirassy, however, as Everton tried to sign the forward in 2022, but were unable to agree a deal.

Chelsea’s goal-scoring struggles

While Guirassy has started the 2023-24 season on fire, Chelsea have been limp in front of goal.

The Blues have failed to score in their past three matches and have only netted seven goals in seven games in all competitions so far this campaign.

Therefore, Guirassy has scored more on his own than the entire Chelsea team have managed combined in 2023-24 thus far.

Summer signing Nicolas Jackson has led the line in each Premier League match for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, but he has only scored once in six games and will now serve a one-game suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in the 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday.