Chelsea entered into new negotiations to sign John Rowe, the Italian Bologna winger, in anticipation of the departure of the Argentine Alejandro Garnacho during the summer transfer window.
Alejandro Garnacho
Club: Chelsea
According to the Italian newspaper Resto del Carlino, Chelsea officials held a new meeting with the player's representatives during the past 48 hours, as part of the club's efforts to strengthen the winger position if the Garnacho sale deal is completed.
Chelsea is preparing to make attacking changes after Garnacho's disappointing season, in which he managed only one goal and one assist in 30 Premier League matches, prompting the club's management to open the door to his departure for a record fee.
The club also loaned the young winger Jesse Dier to Sporting Lisbon, while Mykhailo Mudryk remains suspended pending investigations related to the doping case, which increases the team's need to sign a new winger.
John Rowe is under contract with Bologna until the summer of 2029, but the Italian club may agree to sell him if it receives a large financial offer.
The report indicated that the English player dreams of returning to the Premier League, after a short stint with Norwich City in the 2021-2022 season.
Rowe is also attracting interest from Aston Villa, Galatasaray, and Fenerbahçe, but Bologna believes the real threat comes from Premier League clubs.
No club has submitted an official offer yet, but negotiations between Chelsea and the player's agent have recently resumed, after the London club expressed interest in signing him since the end of last season.
Chelsea has several other names on the transfer table, most notably Yan Diomande, Crysencio Summerville, and Francisco Trincão, although the latter is close to moving to the Saudi league.
John Rowe is 23 years old and progressed through the Norwich City academy, before featuring in 13 Premier League matches in the 2021-2022 season.
The player had an outstanding season with Norwich in the English Championship during 2023-2024, scoring 12 goals, before moving to French side Marseille, where he managed only three goals and three assists in the league.
Rowe then transferred permanently to Bologna for 17 million euros and featured in 43 matches last season, recording 13 goal contributions between goals and assists.
He also excelled in the Europa League, scoring four goals and providing two assists in 12 matches, before Bologna's exit in the quarter-finals against Aston Villa, who later won the title.