Jamie Gittens to Chelsea just feels like one of those transfers that is destined to happen.
Every top journalist and reporter has put Gittens high up on our winger shortlist this summer, and some are even reporting advanced talks now.
SPTC sources have heard that talks are happening for Gittens, and he is high on the shortlist.
Alex Crook of talkSPORT reported yesterday that Chelsea were advancing in talks to sign Gittens, and his fee would be around £35m.
Journalist Graeme Bailey followed that up reporting that Chelsea are frontrunners to get the deal done to sign Gittens this summer.
“There have been conversations,” Bailey told TBR Football. “Gittens wants to come back to the Premier League – he’s ready now. So it’s a real possibility.
“There have been talks about him recently, and it’s been progressing in recent weeks. He could very well be the one.”
I know these are not the two best sources, but there is a lot of noise now on Gittens to Chelsea and to me, it just feels like it is destined to happen.
I have been saying for a while that I still foresee something happening with Jadon Sancho and Dortmund – Chelsea could sign and sell him this summer. Carney Chukwuemeka is wanted on a permanent now by Dortmund, so this is what I see as a potential trade opportunity for Chelsea, and they do clearly like Jamie Gittens.
He does have some decent data…
In info provided by DataMB, compared to U21 wingers in the Top 5 Leagues, no one has more dribbles per 100 touches (34.7) or key passes per 100 touches (3.1) than Gittens. He also ranks second in goals per 100 touches (1.44).
I think he looks like an exciting player for sure, and he will only turn 21 in August.
But I am far from convinced that he would really improve what we have or elevate us right now. He has the potential to, for sure, but I’d see him as a big risk. He’s still a raw player and he does not yet provide anywhere near enough goals and assists. I do think his fundamentals are good though.
I watched him live this season at an England U21 game and to me he looked like a young Raheem Sterling in terms of how he played. Sterling used to be pretty good, so I guess this is a compliment. But Sterling was and always has been a pretty frustrating player at times too and was up and down with form, and I can also foresee Gittens being a bit like that.
I guess this kind of signing of potential rather than proven sums up our recent recruitment under our owners and sporting directors.
What do you all think?
