Chelsea are set to rival Liverpool in the race to sign Villarreal’s attacking phenom Arnaut Danjuma in January.
According to Fichajes, Chelsea have joined the race to sign Arnaut Danjuma. The explosive forward is currently one of the most in-demand players in the Spanish market, thanks to a blistering start to his spell at Villarreal, a club he joined only in the summer.
With the Europa League champions paying Bournemouth €23.5 million, he even became the club’s most expensive signing, raising many eyebrows among the Villarreal supporters.
However, as we head towards the halfway point of the campaign, Danjuma has proven to be a bargain for the Spanish giants. In 18 competitive matches, he has scored nine goals while providing three assists. Four of his nine goals have come in the UEFA Champions League, with the forward starring in the wins over Atalanta and BSC Young Boys.
In fact, the Dutchman’s contributions in the Champions League were the main driving force behind Villarreal’s route to the knockout stages, where they will be to lock horns with Juventus in the Round of 16.
Danjuma’s performances have not gone unnoticed either, with multiple clubs in England keen on bringing him back to the Premier League. Liverpool have already been linked with a January swoop for the ex-Bournemouth starlet, while Leeds United are in the equation as well. But it appears the two English clubs have a new competitor in the form of Chelsea.
The reigning European champions are currently in the market for new attackers that can potentially replace some of the obsolete players in the team, including Hakim Ziyech. The former Ajax starlet has been a subject of interest for Borussia Dortmund as well as Barcelona, and it might only be a matter of time before he leaves Stamford Bridge.
Another player facing an uncertain future at Chelsea is Christian Pulisic. The American international has not been able to impress Thomas Tuchel. As such, he is now a target for FC Barcelona, thus prompting the Blues to scour the market for potential replacements.
Danjuma, in that regard, could be an ideal option due to his explosive speed, dynamism and work ethic in the final third. However, it seems the West Londoners may have to fork out as much as €60 million to acquire his services, as Villarreal have no intention of parting ways with the Dutchman so soon after signing him from Bournemouth in the summer.