Chelsea could consider moving for Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson after failing to sign Michael Olise.
According to The Guardian, Chelsea could consider moving for Brennan Johnson before the window shuts. The Nottingham Forest star has the attention of several Premier League clubs, including Tottenham, and the Blues are now keen after losing out on Michael Olise.
On Thursday, it was a bitter day for Chelsea supporters who faced disappointments on multiple fronts. First, the news broke about a fresh injury to Reece James, which the report suggests could keep him out for months. The second was Michael Olise signing a new contract with Crystal Palace.
Chelsea had activated Olise’s release clause and made headway in signing the French winger from Crystal Palace. After the 21-year-old penned a new four-year deal, the Eagles are considering taking Chelsea to a tribunal for how they approached their player.
Mauricio Pochettino wanted more depth in his attacking setup after the long-term injury to Christopher Nkunku. Now James’s potential absence could impact how they play their football in the final third.
Hence, the idea of Olise made sense for Chelsea. But now, they must rethink their transfer strategy. Brennan Johnson has emerged as their latest target to bolster the attacking ranks, with Nottingham Forest placing a huge asking price on the £45 million-rated forward.
Tottenham are also keen on Johnson, with the North Londoners reportedly viewing him as a replacement for Harry Kane. There are doubts whether they will pay what’s required to sign the £45 million-rated target, which has opened the door for Chelsea to explore.
Johnson’s ability to play all three front positions is a bonus for Chelsea, who see his versatility as a big weapon. They may not want to pay the £45 million price tag now and could explore part-exchange deals to entice Forest.
Tottenham had tried with a part-exchange proposal earlier, which did not work in their favour. Chelsea must include players that help Forest’s squad, but the club would want a whole cash deal if they were to sell Johnson.
There is speculation in the air, and Forest fans will hope Johnson stays at the club beyond the transfer deadline. Chelsea have been relentlessly signing who they want and could focus on the Welshman to become part of their attacking setup before September 1.
