Chelsea have been dealt a massive blow in their pursuit of prolific hitman Erling Haaland by Dortmund.
Talks spilling out of German say Dortmund have sent a strong warning to the London outfit to back off their star man as he's not for sale. It is understood Chelsea offered Dortmund player plus cash option for Haaland but saw their offer rejected by the German outfit.
Chelsea racked up 58 goals the last season—the least of the top four table finishers.
They had hoped the arrival of Timo Werner from RB Leipzig the last summer would spin things in their favour. But that failed to work out. The lethal German front-man has yet to find his spark in front of goal, managing just 12 goals in all competitions the last season.
With the new Premier League season just a few weeks away, Tuchel is strongly keen on revamping his frontline. The German tactician has the Premier League title in his sights and feels the one thing he needs to snatch it away from holders Manchester City is a ruthless attack.
Haaland fits the bill. The 20-year-old Dortmund forward has smashed in 57 goals in 59 appearances for the club, guiding them to a glorious German Cup victory the last season.
Chelsea are willing to offer Dortmund player plus cash for Haaland's services. According to reports, Blues are willing to offer either Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham plus cash for the Norwegian. But the German outfit have quickly turned the offer and informed Chelsea he's staying put.
As it stands, Dortmund value the Norwegian at €175 million, but the bigwigs at Chelsea are unwilling to fork out such a mammoth amount for a player. It seems unlikely Chelsea can pull a stunt over the Haaland deal in the next few weeks. If they wait until next season, however, they can grab him for a cheaper amount (£70m).
Meanwhile, Chelsea kick off their 2021/22 Premier League campaign with Eagles Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
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