Chelsea see initial Jamie Gittens bid rejected as Borussia Dortmund slap lofty price tag on exciting winger

Gittens has been a target for Chelsea this summer as the Blues have been eyeing the promising winger ahead of their Club World Cup campaign in the United States. The Blues reportedly filed their first official bid for the Englishman on Thursday, with the offer said to be worth €42 million (£35.5m).

However, BILD Sports' Christian Falk has reported that Borussia Dortmund outright rejected Chelsea's initial offer, but the two sides have remained in conversation. Die Schwarzgelben have reportedly placed a €70 million (£59m) price tag on the 20-year-old.

As per the report, the Europa Conference League champions are keen on completing the deal for Gittens before Enzo Maresca's squad travel to the United States for the Club World Cup. Chelsea have been on the hunt to improve their odds for the tournament and have also eyed a deal for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, alongside the already completed signing of Liam Delap.

The 20-year-old has impressed a lot of scouts over the course of the 2024/25 season, and it looks like Chelsea may be forced to splash out if they want to sign him before the Club World Cup, or risk losing him to another club. The Blues are now said to be preparing a new bid for the Englishman.