Juventus could beat Chelsea and Aston Villa to the signature of Hoffenheim striker Maximilian Beier, according to Sky Germany reporter Dennis Bayer.
The journalist said (via his colleague Florian Plettenberg) that, despite “concrete offers” from the two Premier League clubs, Juve are now the likeliest to secure the German international’s signature:
🚨⚪️⚫️ Despite the concrete offers from Chelsea and Aston Villa, both clubs are currently not in the pole position to sign Maximilian Beier!
Juventus Turin, also there. Juve have inquired about the 21 y/o striker from Hoffenheim. First talks took place. TSG informed about it.… pic.twitter.com/jQrGoa5IDB
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) July 30, 2024
Beier has a €30m (£25m) release clause in his contract, which makes him an attractive target, especially after he scored 16 goals in the Bundesliga last season.
Why are Chelsea interested in signing the forward?
The Blues are keen to provide Nicolas Jackson with more competition up front. Both Armando Broja and David Datro Fofana are expected to be sold on a permanent basis, leaving the inexperienced Marc Guiu and Deivid Washington as the only backup options.
Beier’s availability for a relatively affordable price would also allow the club to devote more resources to strengthening other positions. In addition to a striker, Chelsea are hoping to bring in a right-footed winger before the transfer window closes on August 30th.
What implications does this have for the Osimhen deal?
It’s likely that Beier is one of the alternatives being lined up if Chelsea can’t find an agreement with Napoli for Victor Osimhen. There was hope that the Nigerian international could be brought in on loan with an option to buy next year.
However, the player’s agent has already torpedoed that idea. The only two options left on the table are a loan with a mandatory purchase clause or a part-exchange deal, with Romelu Lukaku moving in the other direction.
