Chelsea are not expected to pursue transfers for either Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne or Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, according to a report from The Telegraph.
While manager Enzo Maresca recently suggested the club would look to add experienced players to complement their youthful squad, speculation linking Chelsea with De Bruyne and Kane appears to be wide of the mark.
De Bruyne, 34 in June, is set to leave City on a free transfer, while Kane has a release clause that previously made him a potential target. However, Chelsea have reportedly ruled out both players. The report suggests De Bruyne could create a selection dilemma with Cole Palmer and has shown signs of decline after another injury-hit season.
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Kane’s financial package is considered too costly, and his release clause—reportedly only valid in the January window—can no longer be triggered, effectively ending any chance of a summer move to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have also explored other attacking options such as Victor Osimhen and Ollie Watkins. Concerns over Osimhen’s attitude and Watkins’ age and decreasing output have cast doubt over those pursuits as well.
In their broader search for experience, Chelsea even made an approach for Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk, who has since renewed his contract with the Reds.
Ultimately, despite Maresca’s comments, Chelsea are said to be steering clear of signing older stars. Instead, their focus will be on recruiting players—of any age—with a solid track record of consistent first-team football.
