Chelsea flop set for Bundesliga switch as RB Leipzig edge closer to permanent transfer agreement

Leipzig are on the verge of agreeing a deal in principle to sign Chelsea striker Guiu, as per The Athletic. While the transfer is not yet officially complete, all parties firmly expect the move to go through without any complications.

The 20-year-old is preparing to leave Stamford Bridge permanently after falling entirely out of favour. Chelsea initially demanded a fee of around £25 million for the Spanish forward, but the club opted to lower their valuation earlier this week to facilitate his departure.

Guiu’s exit became inevitable after head coach Alonso omitted him from Chelsea’s squad for their first two matches of the season - against Fulham in the Premier League and Luton Town in the League Cup. The manager has made it abundantly clear that the young attacker does not feature in his long-term tactical plans.

The impending transfer marks a surprisingly swift end to Guiu's time in West London. He signed a six-year contract in July 2024 after Chelsea activated a €6 million release clause to prise him away from Barcelona, where the La Masia academy graduate had managed just seven senior appearances.

Guiu endured a turbulent domestic campaign last year, making just eight Premier League appearances and securing a solitary league start. Chelsea initially loaned him to Sunderland, but that spell was cut abruptly short after less than a month to cover a sudden centre-forward crisis at Stamford Bridge.

Guiu is now set to become the third recognised striker to depart Stamford Bridge during the current transfer window. He follows in the footsteps of Nicolas Jackson and Liam Delap, who recently sealed permanent moves to Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest respectively.

Chelsea have heavily restructured their attacking options ahead of the new Premier League campaign. Joao Pedro has firmly established himself as the club's undisputed first-choice striker, while summer arrivals Emmanuel Emegha and Danny Welbeck have travelled to provide fresh competition in the final third.