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Chelsea have reportedly approached PSV Eindhoven with a bid of £26.6m for attacker Noni Madueke.
The former Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur academy starlet has made quite the name for himself since making the move to the Eredivisie giants in the summer of 2018.
Since coming through the PSV youth ranks, Madueke has made 80 appearances for Ruud van Nistelrooy’s team in all tournaments, scoring 20 goals and setting up 14 more.
Madueke enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last year with nine goals and six assists in 35 outings, but a serious ankle injury has restricted the 20-year-old to just nine appearances and two goals this season.
The England Under-21 international is under contract with PSV until the summer of 2025, but the Dutch powerhouses are fighting an uphill battle to retain his services in the coming months.
Chelsea are believed to have been keeping a close eye on Madueke’s progress in the Netherlands, and the Blues have now seemingly stepped up their interest in the youthful attacker.
According to ESPN, Graham Potter’s side have tabled their first offer for Madueke worth £26.6m, despite being told in an enquiry that the 20-year-old was not for sale.
PSV have already lost one key attacker this month, with Cody Gakpo leaving to join Liverpool in a £37m deal, and Van Nistelrooy does not want to see his ranks slimmed further.
However, the ex-Manchester United striker has admitted that Chelsea’s interest in Madueke ‘worries’ him, although he is determined to retain the Englishman’s services for the time being.
Speaking at a press conference, Van Nistelrooy said, “I know of the interest in Noni. I’d rather not have that, but it’s not something I decide. The fact that there’s a lot of interest in him is of course due to his quality and his performances.
“But I do find it worrying. Because we’ve to see if we’re able to keep him, I hope so very much. We will certainly do everything we can [to keep him.] But you also know that things can change real quick if the interest heats up.”