Blues Could Have Edge in Race for Dortmund Star Serhou Guirassy
Chelsea’s summer transfer window is already shaping up to be a dramatic one—and if reports coming out of Germany are to be believed, the West London club may have just been handed a unique advantage in their pursuit of one of Europe’s most in-demand forwards: Serhou Guirassy.
The Borussia Dortmund striker has been lighting up the Bundesliga this season with a stunning 28 goals in 40 appearances, including an eye-catching hat-trick against Barcelona in European competition that turned more than a few heads. With elite clubs across Europe now circling, Chelsea may be poised to steal a march on their rivals thanks to a specially negotiated release clause that reportedly applies to a select group of teams—including the Blues.
Chelsea in the Market for Firepower
It’s no secret that Chelsea are in the market for a clinical centre-forward. While Enzo Maresca has brought some structure and style to Stamford Bridge in his debut season, the lack of a consistent goal threat has remained a glaring weakness.
Despite investing heavily in attacking talent over recent windows, the club continues to search for that one reliable presence up front—a forward who can turn tight games with a moment of quality, someone with the instinct and consistency to lead the line week in, week out.
Names like Viktor Gyökeres, Victor Osimhen, Benjamin Šeško, Hugo Ekitike, and Liam Delap have all been floated as potential solutions, but Serhou Guirassy may offer something the others don’t: both proven elite-level form and a contractual route that makes a deal more feasible.
The Unique Clause That Could Tilt the Scales
According to SPORT BILD, Guirassy’s current contract with Dortmund includes a unique release clause—a clause that was specifically designed with only a handful of top European clubs in mind. Chelsea are reportedly one of those clubs. The clause, which will be active only after this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, is said to be in the region of €70 million (£60 million).
This specific timing and exclusivity could offer Chelsea a rare edge in a market where top strikers are both scarce and fiercely contested. While many of their rivals will be forced to negotiate directly with Dortmund—who, understandably, aren’t eager to part ways with their prolific frontman—Chelsea would simply need to activate the clause.
For a club that has often found itself entangled in lengthy, public transfer sagas in recent years, the clarity and simplicity of this clause could be a welcome change.
Guirassy’s Premier League Dream
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Guirassy has been on Chelsea’s radar. The Blues were close to landing him back in 2020, but the striker opted to stay put due to concerns about limited playing time at Stamford Bridge.
It was a wise call at the time. Since then, Guirassy has quietly developed into one of Europe’s most efficient finishers, first with Stuttgart—where he bagged 28 goals in all competitions last season—and now with Borussia Dortmund.
The Guinea international is said to still harbour a dream of playing in the Premier League, and at 28 years old, the coming summer could represent his best (and possibly last) big move. With Chelsea’s name on the shortlist of clubs that can trigger his clause, the stars may finally be aligning.
Dortmund’s Dilemma
On Dortmund’s end, the situation is complicated. While Guirassy remains happy at the club and is not actively pushing for a move, there’s a growing sense that the Bundesliga side may be forced into difficult decisions if they miss out on Champions League football next season.
Dortmund have struggled for consistency in the league this year, and while their European campaign has had high points, their domestic form may not be enough to secure a top-four finish. That could open the door for sales in order to balance the books, particularly for players with high value and active release clauses.
Though not openly encouraging offers for Guirassy, Dortmund’s leadership are reportedly aware that this clause could limit their ability to control his future if interest from the likes of Chelsea becomes serious.
Champions League Football: A Double-Edged Sword
One key question for Guirassy will be European football. If his primary motivation is to remain in the Champions League, any move this summer will likely be influenced by the final league positions of his suitors.
Chelsea are currently sixth in the Premier League—just one point behind fifth-placed Manchester City—with the top five English sides set to qualify for next season’s Champions League due to UEFA’s new coefficient rules.
That proximity to qualification adds another layer of intrigue to the pursuit. If Chelsea manage to finish strong and secure Champions League football, it could be the final piece in the puzzle for convincing Guirassy to make the move.
On the flip side, if they miss out, they may struggle to compete with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, or even Liverpool, who are all reported to be monitoring Guirassy’s situation.
Long-Term Interest and Timing
Chelsea’s interest in Guirassy isn’t a flash in the pan. Club scouts have tracked him for several years, and his rejection in 2020 didn’t appear to put them off. They resurfaced as suitors in 2023, although the striker ultimately joined Dortmund for a modest €18 million fee.
In hindsight, that fee looks like a bargain, and Dortmund’s foresight in including a structured clause in his contract now appears to be a smart piece of business—one that could lead to a significant return on investment.
For Chelsea, the timing might finally be right. They’ve got a squad in transition, a manager trying to implement a clearer identity, and a pressing need for experience and end-product up front. Guirassy, at the peak of his powers and dreaming of England, could tick all those boxes.
Final Thoughts: Guirassy Could Be the Missing Piece
While there are no guarantees in football—especially not in Chelsea’s recent transfer dealings—the opportunity to sign a red-hot striker like Guirassy, through a straightforward contractual mechanism, is a chance worth exploring.
The Blues have spent the past few seasons assembling a squad brimming with youth and potential, but without a true focal point. Guirassy isn’t just a poacher—he’s a physical, intelligent forward who links play, presses hard, and knows where the net is. He’s the kind of striker you can build an attack around.
If Chelsea manage to secure Champions League football and move swiftly to trigger the clause, they could well land one of the most efficient scorers in European football without getting dragged into a summer-long saga.
One thing’s for sure: with Guirassy’s name now firmly back in the Stamford Bridge conversation, the striker pursuit just got a whole lot more interesting.
