Chelsea dealt blow as transfer target reaches verbal agreement with Bayern Munich over possible summer move: Reports
Premier League juggernauts Chelsea have reportedly been handed a blow in their pursuit of German forward Nick Woltemade. According to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have reached a verbal agreement with the player over a summer move.
A graduate of Werder Bremen's academy, Woltemade joined VFB Stuttgart at the start of the 2024-25 season on a free transfer. He made an immediate impact for his new side, racking up 17 goals and three assists in 32 games across all competitions in his debut campaign.
His stock has risen further after his scintillating performances for Germany at the ongoing UEFA Under-21 European Championship. He has bagged six goals and three assists in just four games thus far, powering Die Mannschaft into the final against England (June 28).
With a plethora of top European clubs interested, Bayern have seemingly taken the early lead in the race for Woltemade's signature. According to Plettenberg, the Bavarians have an agreement with the 23-year-old over a five-year contract. He further claimed that the striker 'wants to join Bayern with immediate effect'.
While the player has expressed his interest in moving to the Allianz Arena, Plettenberg asserted that there have been no negotiations between Bayern and Stuttgart. He also added that Die Roten have no interest in parting ways with their prized possession in the summer.
Besides Bayern, Chelsea and Real Madrid have also showcased interest in signing Woltemade in the summer. The Blues are looking for an upgrade on Nicolas Jackson, while Los Blancos are looking for a backup to French superstar Kylian Mbappe.
Chelsea target Nick Woltemade's asking price revealed amid interest from top European sides
VFB Stuttgart have reportedly set a steep asking price for star forward Nick Woltemade amid interest from world-class sides like Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich.
After a consistent Bundesliga campaign and some superlative displays at the UEFA Under-21 European Championship. According to German outlet Bild (via GOAL), the 2024-25 DFB-Pokal winners have slapped a €60 million price tag on their striker to deter potential suitors.
Clubs of Chelsea's calibre are unlikely to shell out such a hefty fee for a player who, albeit having great potential, will only serve as a back-up in the short term. The Blues could assess other options on their transfer target list. They include Toulouse's Emanuel Emegha, Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Gittens, and Brighton & Hove Albion's Joao Pedro.
Up next, Chelsea will be seen in action in their FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 clash against Benfica on Saturday, June 28.