Transfer Centre

Chelsea join Manchester City in race for Rennes' Jeremy Doku?

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 19 August 2023

Chelsea join Man City in Jeremy Doku race?

Chelsea reportedly join Manchester City in the race for Rennes winger Jeremy Doku after Michael Olise's rejection in favour of a new Crystal Palace contract.

Chelsea are supposedly weighing up a move for Rennes attacker Jeremy Doku after failing in their efforts to prise Michael Olise away from Crystal Palace.

Despite already welcoming nine new players to the club in a spending spree exceeding £300m, Chelsea are still hoping to bolster their attacking ranks before the window closes.

The Blues were seemingly set to welcome France Under-21 international Olise to the club, having apparently activated the £35m release clause in his previous Palace contract.

However, Olise made a surprising U-turn and instead committed his future to the Eagles with a new deal, forcing Chelsea to look elsewhere in their search for youthful attacking reinforcements.

Palace were alleged to have been furious with Chelsea's approach to negotiations and threatened to go to a tribunal, leading the Blues to abandon their pursuit in favour of alternative options.

Crystal Palace's Michael Olise warms up in April 2023 © Reuters

According to 90min, 21-year-old Rennes and Belgium attacker Doku is a name on Chelsea's wishlist, although they will be forced to fend off Manchester City's advances to land the youngster.

Doku came through the Anderlecht academy before joining Rennes in a €26m (£22.2m) deal in 2020, and he has amassed 12 goals and 10 assists in 91 games for Bruno Genesio's side.

The winger's development has been hindered by injuries, but he managed a personal best of six Ligue 1 goals last term and also netted on the opening day of the 2023-24 season against Metz last week.

The 2002-born Belgium international is comfortable on the right or left wing, and he has earned 14 senior caps for the Red Devils, representing his nation at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.

The report adds that Chelsea have now submitted an enquiry to Rennes over a potential deal, and the French club only have Doku under contract until the end of the 2024-25 season.

Stade Rennes' Jeremy Doku walks off the pitch to be substituted after sustaining an injury as referee Eric Wattellier and Benjamin Bourigeaud look on on March 5, 2023 © Reuters

However, it has been claimed that Man City have already agreed personal terms with Doku, who is wanted by Pep Guardiola as a replacement for the recently-departed Riyad Mahrez.

Chelsea have let all of Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Christian Pulisic leave permanently this summer, while loaning out fellow attackers David Datro Fofana and Angelo Gabriel.

Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi are not part of Mauricio Pochettino's plans either, while summer signing Christopher Nkunku could be out for another three months due to a knee problem.

Other alternative options to Olise include Nottingham Forest's Brennan Johnson and Lyon's Bradley Barcola, while Arsenal's Folarin Balogun has supposedly emerged as a central target.

Chelsea - who are also working on signing a new goalkeeper to replace Real Madrid loanee Kepa Arrizabalaga - return to Premier League action away to London rivals West Ham United on Sunday.