Chelsea's Jamie Gittens Chase Takes Shocking Turn as Deal Nears Completion

Chelsea's Jamie Gittens Chase Takes Shocking Turn as Deal Nears Completion

The acquisition of Borussia Dortmund's winger Jamie Gittens by Chelsea is being characterized as "on the verge of completion" in an unexpected development for the London club.

Since the conclusion of the Premier League campaign, Gittens has remained a key transfer objective for Chelsea. However, in contrast to Liam Delap—whose relegation release clause facilitated a swift transfer arrangement—no agreement was finalized during the brief transfer period preceding the Club World Cup.

Nevertheless, developments now seem to be gaining momentum. The Athletic reports that the matter could suddenly "reach a conclusion very soon." Negotiations with Dortmund are understood to be ongoing while both clubs have been participating in the Club World Cup. Gittens is reportedly already in agreement regarding personal contract terms, which would represent a homecoming to Chelsea for the player.

The 20-year-old had previously featured, though briefly, for the Blues at academy level. Following his initial stint with local club Reading, he had a period at Chelsea in the Under-9 category before choosing to stay with the Royals. A subsequent two-year period at Manchester City's youth setup followed before Gittens made the decision to depart England entirely in 2020 to join Dortmund at 16 years of age.

This mirrored the path taken by Jadon Sancho three years prior, and Gittens similarly benefited by establishing himself as a consistent first-team contributor within a few seasons.

The 2024–25 season proved to be a pivotal campaign for Gittens, featuring in 49 matches across all tournaments and contributing to 17 goals.

Operating primarily from the left wing position, Gittens experienced an exceptional run of form between November and January, achieving seven goal contributions in seven Bundesliga fixtures. However, concerning was his subsequent decline in performance, managing just one additional league goal in the season's latter half and even being dropped from the starting lineup in late February during crucial moments.

Dortmund initially placed a €100 million (£85.3 million, $116 million) valuation on Gittens, though this asking price is believed to have decreased in recent months. Chelsea were reported by ESPN in early June to have seen a €50 million (£42.7 million, $58 million) bid rejected. Sky Sport Germany has indicated that Dortmund are now demanding €65 million (£55.4 million, $75.4 million).