Chelsea are set to recall Marc Guiu from Sunderland as they scramble to solve their striker problems in the final hours of the transfer window, sources have told ESPN.
Guiu only joined Sunderland on Aug. 6 but the west London club have acted in response to Liam Delap’s hamstring injury, picked up in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Fulham.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca suggested after the game that Delap could be out for up to two months but the 22-year-old is expected to undergo further scans and there are fears he could be out for even longer.
Academy graduate Tyrique George played up front against Fulham following Delap’s injury with João Pedro operating as a No. 10 behind him.
George could yet leave the club before tonight’s deadline amid interest from Roma. That would leave Pedro as the club’s only recognised centre-forward while Delap is sidelined and therefore Chelsea want Guiu to provide cover.
They have also attempted to cancel Nicolas Jackson’s proposed loan move to Bayern Munich but sources say Jackson does not want to return to the club. And so Chelsea are looking at possible alternatives.
– LIVE BLOG: Follow the latest on transfer deadline day
– Men’s grades: How we’ve rated the PL deals
– The completed transfers from the major football leagues
Sources say they enquired about Conrad Harder at Sporting Lisbon but he chose to join RB Leipzig and is flying to Germany to complete a move. Wolves’ Jørgen Strand Larsen is another player of interest.
Netherlands striker Brian Brobbey, meanwhile, is swapping Ajax for Sunderland, in a deal worth up to €25 million ($29.3m), sources have confirmed to ESPN.
Sunderland are having an active transfer deadline day with Brobbey set to join his Dutch teammate Lutsharel Geertruida in signing for the Premier League side. While Geertruida is joining on loan from Leipzig, Brobbey is set to sign on a permanent deal for a fee in the region of €20m, with €5m in addons.
Brobbey is yet to appear for Ajax in the Eredivisie this season and the 23-year-old will head to the Premier League to bolster Sunderland’s attacking options.
Information from ESPN’s Tom Hamilton was used in this report.
