Chelsea launch enquiry for world-leading African gem to ignite Tottenham transfer battle – sources

Chelsea have joined the race for one of Africa’s most exciting players, TEAMtalk can reveal, following enquiries made by Tottenham earlier this month.

The Blues have a long history of signing the world’s best youngsters, and their scouts are always on the lookout for the next breakout star, and this could spell bad news for Spurs.

TEAMtalk understands that Chelsea have joined the growing list of clubs interested in Sani Suleiman, who has been in dazzling form of late. Enzo Maresca’s side recently asked for information on the Nigerian winger, who plays for Slovakian side AS Trencin.

Suleiman was one of Nigeria’s brightest talents at the recent under-20 World Cup, impressing with his speed, creativity, and ability to impact games in key moments.

However, he missed the Round of 16 clash against Argentina through suspension, and his absence was clearly felt as Nigeria suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat and exited the tournament.

After returning to Trencin following the tournament, Suleiman quickly made an impact in the Slovak league. His assist against Skalica helped his team secure an important draw and earned him a place in the Nike Liga Team of the Week.

Chelsea are now among several European clubs monitoring the 19-year-old closely, and must move decisively if they wish to win the race.

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Chelsea target ranks as the ‘most complete’ U21 winger in the WORLD

Suleiman’s current contract runs until June 2026, but Trencin hold a two-year extension option, effectively keeping him tied to the club until 2028.

This gives the Slovak side a strong position in any future negotiations.

As TEAMtalk exclusively revealed on October 10, Tottenham, Rangers, and Bayer Leverkusen have also shown interest, while several Italian clubs have made preliminary enquiries about his situation.

As we reported, according to the CIES Football Observatory, Suleiman was recently ranked as the most complete Under-21 winger in the world based on seven key performance metrics.

He was also listed among the top 200 Under-20 outfield players globally.

With his rapid rise and growing reputation, this could well be Suleiman’s final season at Trencin, as top European clubs continue to circle one of Africa’s most promising young talents, with Chelsea and Tottenham firmly in the mix.

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Latest Chelsea news: Barcelona flop linked / Striker rumours assessed

Meanwhile, Chelsea are being linked with a shock move for former Barcelona striker Vitor Roque, who has ‘had a comeback’ for Palmeiras after a difficult stint with the Catalans.

The 20-year-old has notched 17 goals in 46 matches for the Brazilian side, which has caught the interest of Chelsea and Tottenham, it’s claimed.

In other news, TEAMtalk transfer insider Dean Jones has played down reports claiming that Chelsea could move for Porto striker Samu Aghehowa.

Spurs have scouted Samu on multiple occasions and that is viewed as a more likely destination for the 21-year-old.

Chelsea transfer QUIZ: Higher or lower?