Andre Schurrle looks certain to join Chelsea this summer.
The Blues were heavily linked with the German international ahead of the current season, but Bayer Leverkusen pulled the plug on a deal as they didn’t have sufficient time to find a replacement. And although there has been another managerial change at Stamford Bridge this term, with another set for the end of the campaign, their interest remains solid.
In fact, it appears as though club owner Roman Abramovich is hell-bent on luring Schurrle to the capital. According to respected journalist Raphael Honigstein, writing for ONE World Sports, the Russian billionaire has been directly involved in negotiations regarding the deal.
It is reported that the two clubs have agreed on a £20million price for the forward, which represents a huge profit on the £8million they paid Mainz for his signature in 2011 even if a certain percentage of the sale will go to his former club. Although a fee has been settled on, the official announcement is on hold until the Bundesliga side have signed at least one replacement.
Borussia Monchengladbach’s Patrick Hermann is one reported target, as is Chelsea’s Kevin De Bruyne who has spent this season on loan at Werder Bremen. However, the Londoners are reluctant to let the Belgian leave on a permanent basis, and although they would allow him to spend next term at Bayer, it is thought the German club want a longer-term deal; this, claims Honigstein, is another reason why the transfer has yet to be rubberstamped.
Schurrle, who is believed to be keen to make the move to the Premier League, has enjoyed an impressive campaign at the BayArena. The 22-year-old has scored 12 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions, assisting in eight more, and has also made three outings in the World Cup qualifiers which contributes to his overall tally of 22 caps for the German national side.
