Chelsea Want Sporting’s Harder, Plan Jackson Exit

Chelsea Eye Sporting’s Harder After Delap Injury, Push for Jackson Sale

Chelsea have reopened striker negotiations after Liam Delap’s hamstring injury forced the club into a transfer rethink just days before the window closes.

The club has contacted Sporting CP regarding a deal for 20-year-old Denmark international Conrad Harder, following the withdrawal of permission for Nicolas Jackson to undergo a medical at Bayern Munich.

Jackson had been close to a £13 million loan deal, but Delap’s injury—expected to sideline him for six to eight weeks—led to Chelsea halting the deal mid-process. The Senegalese striker remains in Germany and is still keen to leave Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea now demand a permanent sale to fund Harder’s transfer.

Chelsea’s Striker Options

Chelsea have three options on the table:

1. Preferred scenario: Sell Jackson permanently and sign Harder.

2. Recall Marc Guiu from Sunderland (loan), though it would require mutual agreement.

3. Force Jackson to return to London if no sale materializes.

Manager Enzo Maresca is reportedly prioritizing Harder, who would compete with two existing strikers at Stamford Bridge.

£Transfer Window Ticking Down

The Premier League window closes at 19:00 BST on Monday, leaving Chelsea little time for final squad changes.

• Facundo Buonanotte is expected to arrive on a season-long loan from Brighton.

• The club also made a weekend offer to Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez.

• Chelsea remain intent on offloading their final surplus players: Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Axel Disasi, and David Datro Fofana.