Chelsea are reportedly interested in securing a bargain deal for Barcelona forward Marc Guiu.
Throughout this month, the Blues have been heavily linked with a number of different strikers, having to move on when Benjamin Sesko signed a new contract at RB Leipzig.
At one point, it appeared that Jhon Duran may move to Stamford Bridge, with Aston Villa also looking to secure a deal for Ian Maatsen.
However, there have been reports over the past 48 hours that Chelsea have tried, and failed, to agree terms for Atletico Madrid's Samu Omorodion.
While it remains possible that Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital could work to wrap up at least one of those deals, it appears they are prepared to negotiate terms for yet another young attacker.
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Guiu emerges as Chelsea option
According to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, who was commenting on X, Chelsea have been in contact with Barcelona regarding a potential deal for Guiu.
Towards the back end of 2023, Guiu burst onto the scene for the Catalan giants, netting the winning goal in a game against Athletic Bilbao within a minute of entering the pitch.
Another strike followed in the Champions League fixture at Royal Antwerp, but further opportunities under Xavi soon became short in supply.
The 18-year-old made just two more appearances, a brief outing from the substitutes' bench against Granada and a 61-minute appearance in a 1-0 win over Mallorca in March.
Although the current assumption is that he will remain as a backup option in Hansi Flick's squad, there is just one year left on his contract.
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Would Guiu feature in Maresca's squad?
Whether head coach Enzo Maresca would immediately use Guiu in Chelsea's senior ranks is unclear, but it is plausible that he could be kept in reserve.
Balague suggests that Barcelona would demand in the region of €6m (£5.1m) for the teenager, a deal potentially making sense for all parties with the La Liga giants needing to make cutbacks.
Boehly and Clearlake Capital may have eyes on sending Guiu to Strasbourg to continue his development, yet the relatively small outlay may be deemed beneficial for Chelsea in the long run.
As well as featuring in the first team, Guiu contributed six goals and two assists from 16 youth-team appearances last season.
Darren Plant
