Boehly ‘holds meeting’ as Chelsea ramp up interest in £60m striker targeted by Man Utd, Arsenal
Chelsea have reportedly joined the race for highly-rated Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, who is being chased by Manchester United and Arsenal.
The 20-year-old has been in fantastic form for the Italian side this season, attracting the interest of many European clubs. But, it seems the Premier League trio are leading the race for his signature.
There is no doubt that Chelsea need a new centre-forward, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Todd Boehly table a hefty offer for Hojlund this summer.
Indeed, the Blues have had to play the majority of the season without a natural striker after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fell out of favour with recently sacked manager Graham Potter and Armando Broja picked up a serious injury.
As a result, Kai Havertz has been forced to play out of position as a centre-forward. This has had a significant impact on Chelsea’s season, too, with them sitting in a disappointing 11th place in the Premier League table, as it stands.
Both Manchester United and Arsenal are also registered with an interest in Hojlund, however, so Chelsea will have to put their money where their mouth is to get a deal over the line.
Hojlund ‘aware’ of Chelsea interest
According to a report from the Daily Mail, Hojlund already ‘knows that Chelsea are hot on his trail,’ so it seems likely that the Blues’ interest is genuine.
They add that Atalanta chairman Antonio Percassi was invited to their recent Champions League tie with Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge and the striker’s availability was among the topics of conversation.
The Italian club are believed to be demanding £60m for Hojlund’s services this summer, with the Denmark international shaping up to become a huge star.
The striker joined Atalanta last summer and so far he has scored eight goals in 27 appearances, along with contributing three assists, giving him an average of 0.41 goal contributions per game.
While this may not sound overly prolific, he is still a youngster, and the amount of top European clubs circling for his signature is a testament to his sky-high potential – with some pundits dubbing him ‘the next Haaland.’
Chelsea certainly haven’t shied away from making big-money signings this season, so Boehly is unlikely to be put off by Hojlund’s £60m price tag.
However, the Daily Mail also note that Hojlund is a self-confessed Manchester United fan, so if given the choice between the two clubs, it seems likely he would head to Old Trafford over Stamford Bridge.
Erik ten Hag currently has his eyes on other striker targets, though, such as Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Tottenham captain Harry Kane, so Chelsea may yet get their man.
