Chelsea are in need of an overhaul this summer. Having won the title in the 16/17 season, they now find themself 19 points off league leaders Manchester City, facing strong competition to qualify for next year's Champions League. In this year's CL campaign, their biggest chance of redeeming their season, they are obstructed by a tricky last 16 tie with FC Barcelona, meaning that their most realistic hope of silverware this season is the FA Cup.
This, added to the fact that they are expected to have a fight on their hands to keep stars Eden Hazard and Willian in summer, with rumours of Real Madrid intent on signing their Belgian playmaker, means that Roman Abramovich will most likely be getting his chequebook out this summer.
One of the players rumoured to be on Chelsea's summer hitlist is Christian Pulisic. The 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund star is one of the hottest prospects in world football, and Chelsea are reportedly keen on brokering a deal that would bring the young American to Stamford Bridge, in exchange for the 'Blues' allowing loanee Michy Batshuayi stay at Dortmund on a permanent deal.
However, evidently Chelsea aren't the only team who want the teenager's signature. Liverpool failed in a bid to bring him to Anfield in 2016, and Manchester United are also rumoured to be keen. However, as reported by the 'Daily Mail' Chelsea's most fearsome competition will come from German side Bayern Munich.
Munich are ready to spend big this summer, due to the fact that two of their most important players of the last ten years, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, are getting a bit past their sell by date. The two wingers are both 34-years-old, and both are out of contract at the end of the season, so Bayern are looking for players to fill their shoes. Pulisic fits the bill perfectly, being young, talented, and used to playing in the Bundesliga.
It wouldn't be the first time that Bayern have raided their rivals Dortmund, with Robert Lewandowski, Mario Gotze and Mats Hummels all previously making the switch from yellow to red. Dortmund will not be keen to let this happen again, and are obviously not looking to get rid of Pulisic, but the German media has reported that if they were forced to part with their young star, the figure would have to be in the region of £88m.
Whether Bayern, or Chelsea for that matter, will be prepared to splash this sort of cash on Pulisic remains to be seen, but what's for sure is that acquiring the American's signature will not be an easy feat for any club.