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Tom OlverPublished Jun 24, 2024, 3:41pm|Updated Jun 24, 2024, 3:45pm
Chelsea have dropped out of the race to sign Serhou Guirassy, leaving Arsenal in a three-way battle with Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan for the Stuttgart striker this summer.
Guirassy, 28, joined Stuttgart on a permanent basis 12 months ago and enjoyed a magnificent campaign in the Bundesliga, scoring 28 goals in 28 games to help the club secure Champions League football with a second-placed finish behind Bayer Leverkusen.
Only Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane bettered Guirassy’s tally in Europe’s top five leagues last term and the forward’s extraordinary goalscoring exploits have put a host of elite teams on red alert.
According to Sky Germany, Guirassy has made up his mind that he is keen for a fresh challenge next season and Stuttgart sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth and head coach Sebastian Hoeness have both been informed.
It’s claimed Stuttgart bosses have ‘tried everything’ to dissuade Guirassy from leaving but the Guinea international has a release clause in his contract allowing him to move on for as little as €18-20million (£15-17m).
The report states that Bayern Munich and Chelsea are now ‘out of the running’ for Guirassy’s signature and the attacker has a decision to make between Dortmund, Milan and Arsenal.
Guirassy’s current contract with Stuttgart, which he signed last summer, runs through to June 2026.
Speaking to Sky Germany last month, Stuttgart’s chairman, Alexander Wehrle, played down the growing speculation surrounding Guirassy’s future, insisting the attacker was ‘really comfortable’.
‘It was already clear last summer that he was leaving and I already heard in the winter where he is said to have already signed,’ Wehrle told Sky Germany.
‘The fact is: He feels really comfortable, he is an undisputed leader for the first time in his career, he knows what he has in Sebastian Hoeness and the coaching team.
‘He can now also play the Champions League. That’s another argument.
‘For many it is clear that he is leaving, for me it is not at all clear.
‘But we will sit down after the season.’
It’s no secret that Chelsea are prioritising a move for a centre-forward this summer, but it appears the club have dropped their pursuit of Guirassy to explore other potential solutions up front.
Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran and Atletico Madrid’s Samu Omorodion have both been linked in recent days, with new manager Enzo Maresca keen to bring in support and competition for Nicolas Jackson.
Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams has also emerged as a target in attack after Bayern Munich beat them to a deal for Crystal Palace star Michael Olise.
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