Chelsea to complete 'the deal of the summer' with €38m Garnacho replacement

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Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

Bologna are increasingly worried that Jonathan Rowe could be on his way to Chelsea in what is being described as "the deal of the summer."

The former Norwich wonderkid, who grew up just down the road from Wembley, believes that he is destined to play in the Premier League again after getting a brief taste of it during his time in Norfolk.

If he is to achieve it this summer, the path there won't have been a straightforward one. He will have fulfilled his dream after detours to France and Italy. Last summer, he was kicked out of Marseille after a physical altercation with then-teammate Adrien Rabiot.

OM's loss was Bologna's gain. Signed for €17 million, Rowe has become something of a sensation at the Serie A club, despite his numbers not looking particularly impressive at first glance. He has produced eight goals and four in 42 appearances across all competitions this term.

However, because of some minor fitness issues and getting used to a new country and a new team, he has clocked just 2,300 minutes. In that context, his attacking output looks a lot better. Indeed, Rowe has been hugely exciting for Bologna beyond just his numbers.

Rowe the "deal of the summer?"

His dribbling has terrified opponents in Serie A this season, and he has even shown that he can hang with Premier League opposition. He was the standout performer in the first leg of Bologna's Europa League tie with Aston Villa a few weeks ago.

Unai Emery praised Rowe after the match, and Villa are said to be interested in signing the 22-year-old. Additionally, Chelsea have also been linked with him after the disappointing season of Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens.

It has been claimed that Chelsea are preparing a bid in the region of €38m. Gazzetta dello Sport jokes that Bologna are now "terrified of hearing the phone ring" because they don't want to lose him after just one season.

However, this threat is looming ever larger, especially as Bologna are all but guaranteed to miss out on European football. For them to still get in, Inter will have to beat Lazio in the Coppa Italia final, and Atalanta would have to heavily lose their last two games, while Bologna win theirs by a healthy margin.

Convincing Rowe to stay another season will be challenging if Premier League clubs indeed come calling. It is a "Mission Impossible scenario" for Bologna, but for the winger and potentially Chelsea, it could be "the deal of the summer."