Gnabry to Chelsea: What is the state of play?
Stuart Telford
- 14 Jul 2022 09:58 CDT
- 3 min read
Chelsea have been linked with a move for Bayern Munich and Germany forward Serge Gnabry. What is the latest around the 27-year-old attacker?
Chelsea's need for reinforcements in the final third is well documented. Although they have signed Raheem Sterling from Chelsea for €56 million, more surgery is needed after some disappointing individual performances last season.
Chelsea attackers for sale
Romelu Lukaku only managed eight Premier League goals before being packed off back to Inter Milan, while a collection of players in the line behind him - Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic and Timo Werner - are for sale this summer if the right bid emerges.
The Blues were also linked with moves for Raphinha, Ousmane Dembele and Neymar, but the former has instead signed for Barcelona while the other two have extended their stays at Barca and Paris Saint-Germain respectively.
Serge Gnabry has rejected Bayern Munich's contract offer, according to Bild.
Which club will sign him? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/Iczx9OSGOV— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) June 3, 2022
Gnabry returned to pre-season training with Bayern Munich this week, and on Thursday the team gathered to wish him a happy 27th birthday. It is understood the Germany international is more attracted by Bayern's offer to extend his stay in Munich, but Chelsea are said to retain a strong interest.
Gnabry's contract with Bayern runs out at the end of next season and he has already rejected attempts to extend, with the club fearing that he could leave on a free like David Alaba and Niklas Sule have done in consecutive summers - for Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund respectively.
However, it would appear that the prospect of Robert Lewandowski leaving for Barcelona in a €50m deal could play into Bayern's hands with regard to Gnabry, with the player eyeing consistent minutes up front for them in a World Cup year.
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Gnabry has 20 goals in 34 international outings with Germany, but was even used at right wing-back on occasion by Julian Nagelsmann at the Allianz Arena last season.
Gnabry has not yet signed a deal with anybody, his current employers included, and Chelsea could steal in with a similar promise to play Gnabry up front.
Rated at €42m by Football Transfers' in-house algorithm, the Blues may not even need to spend that if they are able to tempt the former Arsenal man back to London.
