Sporting CP striker Conrad Harder has reportedly rejected Chelsea in favour of joining RB Leipzig in the final hours of the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Portuguese outlet Record, Conrad Harder will not join Chelsea in the final hours of the summer transfer window. The Blues have dipped their toes in the market for a striker again after Liam Delap suffered a hamstring injury this past weekend. So, the Sporting CP centre-forward emerged as a target for the West London club.
However, the Dane has rebuffed Chelsea’s approach, as he wants to join RB Leipzig in the final hours of the summer transfer window. Meanwhile, reputed Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the 2024/25 FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Europa Conference League winners have decided to recall Marc Guiu from his loan spell with Sunderland.
Conrad Harder and his time at Sporting CP so far
Conrad Harder has established himself as one of the most exciting young attacking prospects in the Primeira Liga since joining Sporting CP from FC Nordsjaelland last summer. While regular starts have eluded the 20-year-old, he has made considerable progress in his first 12 months at the Portuguese club.
The Danish striker has contributed to 19 goals in only 1,669 minutes of game time across 52 outings thus far for Sporting CP by finding the back of the net 12 times and providing seven assists. Meanwhile, Harder’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs. Chelsea recently attempted to secure his services in a late summer move.
Chelsea snubbed
Chelsea’s interest in Conrad Harder emerged after Liam Delap picked up a hamstring injury that will keep him sidelined for nearly two months. Since then, the Blues have been scrambling for a solution in their latest striker search, and they have also cancelled Nicolas Jackson’s proposed loan move to Bayern Munich.
However, Harder has rejected the West London club after they submitted an enquiry for a late move. The 20-year-old Dane is not interested in joining Chelsea, as he is keen on embarking on an adventure with RB Leipzig in the 2025/26 season. However, the FIFA Club World Cup winners have finally ended their striker search, and they have decided to recall Marc Guiu from his loan at Sunderland.
Regular game time has eluded Guiu in his early days with Sunderland, as he has managed only 103 minutes in the Black Cats’ first four matches of the 2025/26 campaign. It will be interesting to see if he can become a regular for Chelsea in the coming weeks until Delap returns.
