Chelsea reportedly face financial constraints in pursuing Bournemouth’s Dominic Solanke, whose £65m release clause is deemed too high by the club.
The English striker, who began his career at Stamford Bridge and spent a decade in their academy, made his senior debut in 2014.
Struggling to secure regular playing time at Chelsea, Solanke moved to Liverpool in 2017 before joining Bournemouth permanently for approximately £19m in January 2019.
During his time with the Cherries, the 26-year-old has excelled as a prominent striker, amassing 77 goals and 31 assists in 216 appearances across all competitions. His standout performance came in the 2023-24 season, where he netted 19 goals in 38 Premier League matches, a record for Bournemouth players in a single top-flight campaign.
Following Bournemouth’s 12th-place finish last season, Solanke has attracted interest from several top Premier League clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Arsenal, and West Ham United. Speculation has also linked him with a potential return to Chelsea.
Despite Chelsea monitoring Solanke’s situation, they are deterred by his current valuation, as per Football Insider. With three years remaining on his contract at Bournemouth, club owner Bill Foley anticipates Solanke will remain at the Vitality Stadium for the 2024-25 season.
In an interview with BBC Sport, Foley said: “I believe Dom is going to be with us this coming year. He has a release clause, which is very expensive.
“We shouldn’t reveal anything about the contract but that area [reported £65m] sounds roughly correct. I guess if someone comes for him, we are going to have to replace him.
“We have two or three candidates that we have lined up. But I believe Dom will be here next year and I believe he is going to score 21 or 22 goals.”
