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News
- 33 minutes ago
Chelsea’s wonderkid FUMBLE: Blues’ £5m transfer mistake could cost them dear
Robin Bairner
- 19 Jul 2025 14:15 BST
- 4 min read
Analysis
Chelsea have enjoyed a strong summer transfer window that helped Enzo Maresca’s side be crowned Club World Cup winners, yet the Premier League giants may be about to make a significant mistake.
The Blues have positioned themselves as a club that wants to buy and develop talent, yet they could be on the verge of losing one of their brightest prospects for just £5 million (€6m).
Current ETV
Alfie Gilchrist
D (R)
Chelsea
Alfie Gilchrist
D (R)
Chelsea
ETV Range
€3.9M - €5.9M
Ben Jacobs reports that interest is building in defender Alfie Gilchrist, who spent last season on loan at Sheffield United in the Championship.
Although the 21-year-old has not been in the first-team picture under Maresca, the Blues could well rue allowing the youngster to depart so readily.
With 12 months on his contract remaining, Chelsea are seeking the immediate sale of a player who has already made 11 Premier League appearances.
Blackburn Rovers, Watford, Derby and Middlesbrough are all looking at the youngster, while clubs in the Saudi Pro League are also studying the possibility of a deal.
Alfie Gilchrist: Why he’s one to watch
Gilchrist is not a player who can immediately make an impact in Maresca’s first-team plans, but this does not mean he should be written off.
SciSports believes that Gilchrist, who has primarily been used as a right-back but can also be used in the middle of the rearguard, can develop into a leading defender.
Indeed, among all the defenders currently on the books at Stamford Bridge, Gilchrist has the second-highest maximum potential behind only Levi Colwill and Malo Gusto.
Alfie Gilchrist vs Championship defenders: Overall performance (2024/25)
SciSports even believes that Gilchrist has what it takes to develop into a player bordering on world class. Among all right-backs in the game today, he has the 10th highest ceiling, according to the data analytics firm.
Chelsea have benefited from their rivals’ unwillingness to persist with young talent in the past. Cole Palmer, for example, was picked up from Manchester City and moulded into a world-leading talent.
Now the Blues have to be careful they are not at the other end of the stick by giving away Gilchrist for a pittance.
If they are set on a summer sale, Chelsea need to ensure there is a favourable buy-back option available to them, else this is a deal they could rue for years to come.
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