Enzo Maresca told harsh reality of Chelsea transfer pursuit and total cost

Daily Mirror

6 hours ago

Chelsea have been told to prepare to spend more than expected if they want to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, who is also being tracked by Manchester United
Chelsea legend Florent Malouda has warned that the club could end up paying a hefty sum for Hugo Ekitike. The west London club are interested in the striker, who has shone at Eintracht Frankfurt.
In a quick move to rejuvenate their attack, Chelsea have already signed Liam Delap after forking out £30million to activate his Ipswich Town release clause. With plans to pit the young striker against Nicolas Jackson, Chelsea also remain interested in Ekitike but any deal will be expensive for Enzo Maresca's side.
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After notching up an impressive tally of 22 goals and 12 assists across all competitions this season, the French forward's price tag could rise above £100m. That's according to Chelsea icon Malouda, who has admitted that Ekitike has what it takes to succeed at Stamford Bridge.
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Despite welcoming Delap aboard, Chelsea remain interested in Ekitike, with the German club placing an £85m price tag on their star striker, as per football.london. While Chelsea are unlikely to meet Frankfurt's valuation, Malouda wouldn't be shocked if Ekitike's price climbed even higher.
"Hugo Ekitike would be a good option for Chelsea because, even though he didn't play much for PSG, he has experience of competitive squads," Malouda said to bet365. "He has potential to score 20-plus goals in the Premier League. It just comes down to price. When German clubs see Chelsea, the price tag will be £100million plus. It's a question of price."
Chelsea hold the 22-year-old forward in high regard but are not expected to cough up the massive £85m asking price set by Frankfurt, despite other clubs monitoring the striker. Ekitike has also reportedly attracted interest from Manchester United.
However, the Bundesliga outfit will not mind clubs being put off by Ekitike's price tag. Frankfurt achieved Champions League qualification after finishing third this season and are not in a rush to sell their prize asset.
Eintracht Frankfurt's CEO Markus Krosche was clear regarding the potential sale of Ekitike. "If the price isn't right, then he'll just stay with us. We don't have to sell Hugo," he said.
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Having started off at Reims, Ekitike caught the eye and secured a move to PSG but struggled for game time. A loan to Frankfurt in February 2024 saw his fortunes change for the better.
Chelsea's interest in Ekitike is not thought to harm Jackson's future at the club. The 23-year-old forward scored 13 goals across his second season at Stamford Bridge.
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On the other hand, Christopher Nkunku, once on the radar of United and Bayern Munich, is likely to leave this summer. Despite his future potentially being elsewhere, Chelsea have named the forward in their Club World Cup squad.
The Blues face LAFC in their opening Club World Cup game tonight (8pm), with further group matches against Brazilian club Flamengo (Friday, 7pm) and Tunisian team ES Tunis (25 June, 2am)
Florent Malouda was speaking on behalf of bet365 and their launch of the free-to-play Club World Championship Tournament Predictor game. Find the latest Club World Cup Tips and Odds at bet365 News. Registration Required. Terms and Conditions Apply. 18+, Gambleaware.
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