Chelsea have reportedly offered West Ham seven players in exchange for £85m forward Mohammed Kudus this summer in a bid to beat Manchester United to his signature.
It was announced by The Athletic’s David Ornstein on Tuesday that Chelsea would not be taking up their £25m obligation to buy Jadon Sancho this summer after a loan spell at Stamford Bridge last season.
Sancho and the Blues could not agree on personal terms and Chelsea will now be forced to pay a £5m penalty instead for not taking up the obligation.
After the news was revealed, Sancho took to Instagram to pen a farewell message to Chelsea fans, he wrote: “Grateful for the experience. Big love to everyone at Chelsea who made me feel at home – team-mates, staff, and the fans.
“Wishing the club all the best moving forward. Truly grateful, thank you Blues.”
The Blues are therefore in the market for a new forward to play to the side of a central striker and it’s claimed they have reignited their interest in Kudus having been linked with the 24-year-old when he made his £38m to West Ham from Ajax in the summer of 2023.
And according to transfer expert Graeme Bailey, the Blues have offered the Hammers seven players in a swap deal for Kudus, who reportedly has an £85m release clause.
Robert Sanchez has been brought up in talks as they look to bring Milan’s Mike Maignan in as their new No.1, while midfielders Carney Chukwuemeka and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as well as defenders Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi and Trevoh Chalobah have also been offered up in exchange.
He told The Chelsea Chronicle: “So, I’m told that there’s been talk with West Ham a little bit about possibly looking at Kudus and with players in exchange.
“I believe that Chelsea were offering Sanchez and Dewsbury-Hall but West Ham didn’t want that particularly, so yeah that’s an interesting one. Kudos, again a name who could be one to keep an eye on but obviously if it means Chelsea getting these players out. Dewsbury-Hall, we know is someone who can go. Robert Sanchez is one who they’re willing to let go which tells us about the goalkeeper situation.
“West Ham we know were interested in Chalobah, Disasi, Tosin and Badiashile I think two or three of them are going to leave, but I think they want money for them, especially Tosin and Chalobah, because of the pure profit. I think Chukwuemeka has been mentioned as well to West Ham.”
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A report earlier on Wednesday claimed Manchester United have also tried to tempt West Ham into a swap deal for Kudus, offering Sancho in exchange.
The report added that West Ham and Man Utd ‘couldn’t reach an agreement, so it currently seems unlikely that this will go through’.
Kudus has been the subject of interest from Liverpool and Arsenal during his time in England, while there have also been links to Saudi Arabia, but the midfielder ‘would prefer to stay in Europe’.
