Chelsea have approached Sporting CP regarding a move for Danish striker Conrad Harder as they consider selling Nicolas Jackson, who is currently in Germany amid interest from Bayern Munich.
The Blues initially granted Jackson permission to undergo a medical at Bayern ahead of a proposed £13 million loan deal. However, that permission was revoked on Saturday following an injury to Liam Delap, who suffered a hamstring strain during Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Fulham.
In the wake of Delap’s injury, Chelsea opened discussions with both Harder and Sporting to explore the possibility of bringing the 20-year-old forward to Stamford Bridge. Harder, who has one international cap for Denmark, has scored 12 goals and provided seven assists in 52 appearances for the Portuguese club.
Jackson, 24, remains in Germany and is reportedly keen to leave Chelsea, but the club is now pushing for a permanent transfer rather than a loan, in order to fund a new attacking option.
Striker Strategy: Three Options on the Table
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is said to prefer signing Harder while sanctioning a permanent exit for Jackson. The manager is concerned that Delap could be sidelined for up to eight weeks, intensifying the need for immediate reinforcements up front.
Any move for Harder would require agreement on a transfer fee as well as persuading the young forward to join a squad where he would be competing with at least two other strikers.
Alternatively, Chelsea could recall Marc Guiu from his loan at Sunderland, but this would require mutual agreement between the clubs. A final option under consideration is instructing Jackson to return to London if no deal is reached.
