Chelsea endured a frustrating season last term as they failed to win a single major trophy under Mauricio Pochettino during the 2023/24 campaign.
The Blues lost to Liverpool in the final of the League Cup, which was the closest they came to silverware, and finished sixth in the Premier League, which means that they do not have Champions League football to look forward to.
Todd Boehly and his team made the decision to part ways with Pochettino at the end of that season and Enzo Maresca has been brought in from Leicester City, after winning the Championship title last term.
The Italian coach is now tasked with returning Chelsea to the glory days and competing for a top four place next term, if not for the title with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City.
Tosin Adarabioyo, Omari Kellyman, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have already been snapped up by the Blues in their attempts to bolster the squad to achieve their goals, but there could be more work to be done before the end of the transfer window.
Chelsea's pursuit of Bundesliga speedster
According to Caught Offside, the Premier League side are preparing an offer to sign Karim Adeyemi from German giants Borussia Dortmund.
The report claims that the London giants are set to bid €30m (£25m) to sign the Germany international to improve their options on the wings ahead of next season.
It states that Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United also have an interest in the forward, but Chelsea appear to be moving quickly to get in ahead of their rivals.
Caught Offside adds that they plan to offer Adeyemi a long-term contract that would see his future secured through until the end of the 2030/31 campaign.
However, the report does not reveal whether or not the planned £25m offer will be enough to tempt Dortmund into cashing in on the Bundesliga speedster, whose pace was on full display against Chelsea a couple of seasons ago.
Caught Offside does, though, suggest that the 22-year-old dynamo could be brought in as a replacement for Raheem Sterling, who has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli could make a move to tempt the former England international into ending his stay at Stamford Bridge and move away from the Premier League, but he is said to be settled in London at this moment in time.
Instead of being a replacement for Sterling, though, Chelsea could sign Adeyemi to help them forget about a move for Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams.
Chelsea's interest in Nico Williams
It has been reported that the Blues are one of a number of teams interested in signing the Spain international before the end of the summer window.
Barcelona, Arsenal, and Liverpool are also said to be keen on the impressive winger but it is said that there are question marks over whether or not any of them are willing to meet his £49m release clause.
Due to it being a release clause, rather than a negotiated price between clubs, any team wanting to sign Williams would have to stump up the full fee upfront, unless Athletic Bilbao are willing to negotiate a different structure.
Signing Adeyemi for £25m, possibly spread out over several payments and add-ons, could, therefore, be a fantastic alternative to the Spanish whiz.
Williams, who has produced one goal and one assist in four Euro 2024 matches, enjoyed an impressive season in LaLiga for Athletic Bilbao last term.
Appearances
31
xG
6.02
Goals
5
Big chances created
10
Assists
11
Key passes per game
1.5
As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old left winger showcased his superb creativity with ten 'big chances' put on a plate for his teammates, and 11 assists, in 31 matches.
Williams, who is a right-footed and direct forward on the left flank, did struggle somewhat with his finishing, though, with five goals from 6.02 xG in the Spanish top-flight.
This shows that he is far from the finished article and would be coming in as a project player for Maresca, which would also be the case with Adeyemi – who is only one year older.
Why Chelsea should sign Karim Adeyemi
The signing of the Dortmund forward would help the Blues to forget all about Williams and his expensive £49m release clause as he is also an explosive, rapid, winger who operates down the left flank.
It would need a bit of patience and faith from Chelsea supporters, though, as Adeyemi is coming off the back of a poor season at Dortmund, in which he scored three goals and provided one assist in 21 Bundesliga outings.
Whilst that could be looked at from a negative perspective, it could be seen as a fantastic opportunity to sign him for a low fee – possibly the £25m quoted – and look to unearth his potential.
In the 2022/23 campaign, the German speedster produced six goals, from 5.05 xG, and created nine 'big chances' in just 20 Bundesliga starts for Dortmund.
These statistics show that he has the potential to be as creative as Williams, who provided ten 'big chances' in 31 league games last term, whilst possibly offering more quality as a finisher by overperforming his xG.
Appearances
29
Starts
24
Goals
19
Assists
5
Big chances created
8
As you can see in the table above, the Chelsea target also showcased his goalscoring prowess in his final season in the Austrian Bundesliga with RB Salzburg prior to his move to Dortmund.
These statistics show that Adeyemi, who was described as a "nightmare" for defenders by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has previously proven his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals in Austria and in Germany.
His downturn in form during the 2023/24 campaign should be looked at as an opportunity for Chelsea to revive his career and get him back to his very best.
Imagine him & Caicedo: Chelsea have held talks to sign £60m PL star
This would be an ambitious signing from the Blues.
ByAngus Sinclair Jul 9, 2024
That would then allow the club to forget all about Williams as they would have a left winger with the ability to cause constant problems for opposition defenders, for almost half as much money if they can bring him for £25m.