Christian Falk’s column for Caught Offside last night had a very interesting Chelsea mention.
He was discussing the future of RB Leipzig attacking midfielder Dani Olmo, saying that the Blues had joined Man City and Arsenal in having serious interest in the 25 year old.
It feels like he’s reaching the limits of what the Red Bull side can offer him in the Bundesliga, and they probably also realise this is likely to be the peak of his value. They’re happy to cash in now, and he’s happy to go. Falk says he has a €60m release clause which is active this summer, and he’s also a player who is likely to consider a move to Chelsea an upgrade, despite our recent troubles. If we can get our financial issues sorted, he could well be a realistic target.
“Olmo is currently looking at England. His release clause would not be a hurdle for the rich Premier League clubs. The hottest lead at the moment leads to Manchester City. Olmo is on the list at the Sheikh Club.” Falk wrote.
“But City has competition: Tottenham also has their eye on Olmo, as do Manchester United and Chelsea FC. However, both clubs would probably not be a good choice at the moment due to their sporting imbalance.”
For all of Olmo’s superb quality, which has been evident in flashes for both club and country throughout his career, he’s never quite been able to put it all together for extended periods. This has largely been down to injury, but there’s perhaps also a sense he might not have the very final cutting edge you need to get to the very top.
There is a reason that he’s still at Leipzig, despite having been highly rated since the early days. Someone will take a chance on him eventually, especially if he can stay fit, but €60m is a major price to pay when there’s a gamble involved.