‘Chelsea to spend big on Jamie Gittens deal after Mudryk charged’
Chelsea should be determined to land a deal for Jamie Gittens now fellow winger Mykhailo Mudryk is set for a severe punishment after his doping charge.
Borussia Dortmund star Gittens had already been eyed by Chelsea before the FA took action against Ukraine international Mudryk on Wednesday, 18 June.
The Manchester City youth academy product enjoyed a strong season for the Bundesliga giants last term, scoring 12 goals and providing three assists across all competitions.
However, Chelsea failed in acquiring his services ahead of the Club World Cup, and he featured as a substitute in Dortmund’s 0-0 draw with Brazilian outfit Fluminense on Tuesday, 17 June.
Chelsea to pay whatever it takes for Gittens with Mudryk banned
Chelsea began their Club World Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory over MLS outfit LAFC on Monday, 16 June.
Meanwhile, Enzo Maresca should be all the more eager than ever to add Gittens to his ranks following Mudryk’s charge.
Mudryk could be banned by the FA for up to four years after testing positive for the prohibited performance-enhancing substance meldonium in 2024.
The winger is using the same lawyers as Paul Pogba, who saw his four-year ban reduced to 18 months following an appeal.
But regardless of whether the 24-year-old is banned for four years or 18 months, Chelsea will need to buy a new winger this summer after Jadon Sancho returned to his parent club, Manchester United, at the end of his loan spell.
As reported by BBC Sport [10 June], the Stamford Bridge club have already seen a £42million bid for Gittens rejected by Dortmund.
Following Mudryk’s ban, Chelsea should be willing to pay whatever it takes to sign the Englishman ahead of the Premier League season.
Noni Madueke set for reprieve amid Mudryk ban
Football Insider previously exclusively revealed that Chelsea would sell Noni Madueke to make way for Gittens, but now that Mudryk is set for a lengthy ban, the Blues should be reluctant to part company with the England international.
While the West Londoners endured a largely inconsistent 2024/25 campaign, Madueke was one of their brightest sparks, notching 11 goals and four assists in 42 appearances.
| Jamie Gittens stats | All competitions 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 49 |
| Goals | 12 |
| Assists | 3 |
The former Tottenham academy star proved particularly vital in Chelsea’s Conference League success, scoring four goals in just seven appearances in the competition.
Now that fellow winger Mudryk is set for at least an 18-month ban, Madueke should now be able to play for the Blues alongside Gittens, instead of being sold to pave the way for the 20-year-old’s anticipated arrival.
Furthermore, Gittens should be seen as an upgrade on Mudryk’s services, as the Ukraine international has managed to score just 10 goals in over 70 Chelsea appearances.