Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Chelsea plotting shock return of former star with £70.5m buy-back clause activated this summer

Roma attackers Tammy Abraham and Nicolo Zaniolo

Chelsea are reportedly weighing up a move to bring a former forward back to the club this summer when his £70.5million buy-back clause kicks in.

Despite their £600m transfer splurge since taking over the club, Todd Boehly and his Clearlake Capital co-investors failed to buy a true No.9 to replace Romelu Lukaku for both Thomas Tuchel and now Graham Potter.

Kai Havertz continues to operate as more of a ‘false nine’, with Potter having countless wingers and attacking midfielders to pick from in a Chelsea side that is struggling to score goals.

Romelu Lukaku is currently on loan at Inter Milan but has no intention of returning to Stamford Bridge, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can hardly get a look in – despite the fact that he is the most natural fit for the position.

Napoli star Victor Osimhen is also on Chelsea’s radar, but his price could end up sky-rocketing in a summer bidding war.

And now a report from Football Insider claims that Tammy Abraham could be on his way back to Stamford Bridge.

The Roma forward, who is also a target for Manchester United, is represented by ROOF, who also represent current Chelsea forward Kai Havertz.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues have a £70.5million option to bring their former striker back to the club.

That buy-back clause is said to activate this summer, when it will be two years since Abraham’s switch to Italy.

Abraham return could just be what Chelsea need

The England forward has notched seven goals and five assists in 32 appearances for Jose Mourinho’s side this season.

However, his level has dropped a little since his stellar 2021-22 campaign, when the 25-year-old scored 27 times as Roma lifted the first ever Europa Conference League title.

During his time in England, Abraham’s best goalscoring campaign came under Frank Lampard in west London.

Abraham, whose Roma deal runs out in June 2026, scored 15 times in 2019-20 but no Chelsea player has managed to repeat that feat in the three seasons since.

Indeed, Havertz is the Blues’ top scorer this season with a woeful five league goals to his name.

One thing Chelsea will have to consider is that they are unlikely to have European football to offer any new additions.

Meanwhile, the continued doubts over Graham Potter’s future at the club hardly make for an appealing set up to join.

There are rumours circulating that the Blues boss has just two games to save his job, starting with Saturday’s clash with Leeds.

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