Thomas Tuchel has made it clear he wants to sign a prolific striker and Chelsea has opened talks over a £170m move for Haaland which could result in Abraham being offered for negotiations.
Tuchel has made it clear to Marina Granovskaia and Chelsea’s owner Roman Abramovich that he believes a prolific center forward is paramount to Chelsea’s progress and to mounting a sustained challenge to Manchester City.
In this case, Chelsea has opened discussions over a move for Erling Braut Haaland despite an acceptance it could prove difficult to achieve. Dortmund has stated they do not wish to sell their coveted center-forward this summer but the ambitious Haaland is open to taking the next step up in his career.
A move to the European champions under a coach such as Tuchel appeals to Haaland but the full cost could be close to £170million.
To secure the deal, Chelsea has players who could be offered in negotiations including £40m-rated Tammy Abraham whose name has been raised in initial talks.
Dortmund has yet to acknowledge whether they have an interest in signing Abraham even if they have begun to look for Haaland’s replacement mindful of the clamor for his signature.
Haaland is wanted by all of Europe’s top clubs and Dortmund says the 20-year-old will stay for next season. However, that won’t stop Chelsea from testing their resolve for the Norwegian who scored 40 goals last season.
Haaland’s wages will also be high with his agent Mino Raiola expected to ask for at least £300,000 a week but Chelsea is in a strong position compared to some of their rivals.
Chelsea faces a busy summer as Tuchel looks to re-shape his squad. As well as a center forward, he would like more options at center-back, center midfield, and right wing-back while around 14 players could leave either on loan or on a permanent transfer.