Chelsea LEAD Arsenal in race for €45m forward pushing for Premier League transfer

Chelsea are reportedly leading Arsenal in the race for a long-term transfer target who is likely to leave his club this summer in a fierce contest for his signature.

Both the Blues and Arsenal will be in the market for a wide forward this summer having been unconvinced by their current options and it appears the two sides will be in competition for a similar crop of players.

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One target reportedly on the agenda for both sides is Karim Adeyemi, who is believed to be keen on a move to the Premier League after recently changing his agents to facilitate his exit from Dortmund.

The 23-year-old will have two years remaining on his contract come the end of the season and CaughtOffside report that Dortmund would be open to his departure for a fee of around €45 million.

Chelsea had enquired about Adeyemi in January but the German international preferred to see out the season with Dortmund and build up his fitness after missing more than two months of the current campaign with injury.

Enzo Maresca’s side are described as ‘leading the race’ for Adeyemi, however Arsenal are said admire the player, while Liverpool could also enter the running if Mohamed Salah does not renew his contract at Anfield.

Chelsea likely to push Arsenal to sign Adeyemi

Adeyemi joined Dortmund in 2022 for €30m but the forward has failed to secure a regular starting spot with the Bundesliga outfit, with his performances often proving frustrating and inconsistent.

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However, the ex-RB Salzburg man is still highly rated by Dortmund and, while he will be available for transfer this summer, the German side would only cash in for the right amount.

Chelsea were desperate to add quality to their frontline in January, having approached players such as Adeyemi and Alejandro Garnacho due to the underwhelming form of the likes of Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto.

The Blues are likely to return for Adeyemi this summer but Arsenal may view the youngster’s valuation as a market opportunity to provide much-needed depth in attack, with a Premier League move looking the most feasible outcome this summer.