“World class” Chelsea target ‘open’ to Stamford Bridge move as surprise contract clause revealed

Borussia Dortmund's Julian Brandt and Serhou Guirassy. (REUTERS/Lisi Niesner)

Chelsea continue to deliver the full emotional rollercoaster.

A sensational 3–0 Champions League demolition of Barcelona was followed by a composed and dominant showing in a 1–1 draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal — only for Enzo Maresca’s men to unravel completely in a poor 3–1 defeat to newly promoted Leeds days later.

The defensive meltdown at Elland Road was alarming enough, but the ongoing goal-scoring issue is becoming impossible to ignore.

Joao Pedro may be playing well, yet he has just four goals in 17 games, while Liam Delap has one to his name across all competitions. The need for a reliable finisher is growing by the week.

Now, Chelsea appear to have received a major boost in their hunt for a proven, “world class” striker.

Chelsea-linked striker Serhou Guirassy is “open” to leaving Borussia Dortmund next summer, according to fresh reports from Germany.

The 29-year-old has been one of Europe’s most prolific forwards over the past 18 months, scoring 47 goals in 68 games for Dortmund.

Last season, he hit 21 goals in 30 Bundesliga matches, earned a place in the Team of the Season, and finished as joint-top scorer in the Champions League — despite BVB exiting at the quarter-final stage.

Even during Dortmund’s inconsistent start under Niko Kovac this campaign, Guirassy has continued to deliver, netting nine goals so far.

According to BILD, Chelsea are one of several elite clubs who can activate Guirassy’s €50m (£44m) release clause next summer. Arsenal, Liverpool, the Manchester clubs, Real Madrid and Barcelona are also on that list.

The report adds that Chelsea — backed by the financial muscle of BlueCo — could “easily” exceed his current €10m-a-year salary.

With Guirassy turning 30 in March, he is said to be dreaming of securing one final major contract while still at his peak, and is open to leaving Dortmund at the end of the season.

For now, though, the striker remains fully committed to BVB — even hiring a personal trainer during the international break instead of joining up with Guinea to maintain peak condition.

A clinical finisher with elite-level experience? Chelsea may finally have the perfect answer to their goalscoring problem.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.