Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka has emerged as a potential target for German giants Borussia Dortmund, according to Patrick Berger.
The Bundesliga club is well-recognised for their ability to nurture young talent. They have placed the 21-year-old Englishman on their shortlist as they search for a new number eight to strengthen their squad.
Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham, and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens have moved to Dortmund from England and improved tremendously. Chukwuemeka could be next on the cards.
Chukwuemeka joined Chelsea from Aston Villa in 2022 for £20 million and has struggled to make a significant impact at Stamford Bridge under manager Enzo Maresca.
He cannot get a look in with Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia, and Kiernan Dewbury-Hall ahead of him. It might be worse next season. Andrey Santos and Lesley Ugochukwu are returning from their respective loans, leading to speculation about his future with the Blues.
Reports suggest that Chelsea are open to allowing Chukwuemeka to leave on loan during the January transfer window to gain valuable playing time and continue his development.
However, Dortmund’s hopes of securing the player on a permanent deal could be hindered by his reported release clause, which is believed to be in the region of €40-45 million (£35-39 million). This figure is excessive for the German club.
For Chukwuemeka, a loan move to Dortmund could provide a crucial opportunity to showcase his abilities at a top level and regain confidence after a challenging period in west London.
While Chelsea may be hesitant to lose a player of his potential, a temporary move could ultimately benefit both the player and the club.
Interestingly, Fabrizio Romano claimed that Chelsea are one of several clubs monitoring Bynoe-Gittens, who has grown in leaps and bounds this season after showing glimpses of his talent last term.
The 20-year-old has registered nine goals and created seven big chances across all competitions. The Dortmund star would be the perfect reinforcement for Chelsea after losing Mykhailo Mudryk to a ban. Chelsea might try to engineer a swap deal.
