Chelsea are huge admirers of an “incredible” Ballon d’Or contender, and they have now been informed they may be able to sign him for a fee of £80m this summer, according to a report.
Blues keen to strengthen in attack
BlueCo have spent heavily to strengthen Chelsea’s attack since their arrival at Stamford Bridge, but after some concerning performances over the past few weeks, it is looking increasingly likely at least one new forward will be brought in this summer.
A striker is of particular interest, given Nicolas Jackson’s struggles in front of goal, and a £60m offer is now being prepared for Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy, while they are also in talks to sign Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.
It would be fair to say Enzo Maresca’s side have also lacked a creative spark in recent weeks, failing to score in away trips to Arsenal and Brentford, which means the manager may also be keen on bringing in a new playmaker.
Chelsea eager to sign £40k-p/w full-back who's "one of the best" in Europe
The Blues are set to battle it out for a defender, who has been in very impressive form this season.
ByDominic LundApr 21, 2025
Lyon’s Rayan Cherki certainly fits the bill in that regard, with the Blues now willing to submit a £20m bid for the Frenchman, who ranks in the top 1% of attacking midfielders for assists per 90 over the past year.
Cherki is an up-and-coming talent, but Chelsea have also been informed they could sign one of the world’s most established forwards this summer, namely Barcelona star Raphinha, who could now be available for £80m.
The west Londoners are huge admirers of the Brazilian, and intermediaries have now hinted a deal could be possible this summer, with Premier League rivals Liverpool and Arsenal also monitoring the situation.
Saudi Pro League sides are also keen on the 28-year-old, but he is currently happy at the Camp Nou, and Barcelona are looking to offer him a new contract to ward off the interest from elsewhere.
"Incredible" Raphinha is a Ballon d'Or contender
In the aforementioned report, it is detailed that Thierry Henry believes the Barca forward is a leading contender for the Ballon d’Or, given his very impressive performances in both La Liga and the Champions League this season.
TEAMtalk’s James Marshment has also hailed the Brazil international for his “incredible” goal and assist tally, which has played a major role in Barcelona reaching the Champions League semi-finals and going four points clear at the top of La Liga.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
La Liga
30
15
11
Champions League
12
12
7
Copa del Rey
4
1
4
Supercopa
2
2
1
It almost goes without saying that Raphinha would be a fantastic signing for Chelsea this summer, but it seems likely they will have to qualify for the Champions League to stand any chance of competing for his signature.