The good news, for Rangers’ chances, is that the Premier League giants are not looking for a permanent deal.
If Rangers were to have any hope of luring to Ibrox a youngster who swapped one English-based giant for another to the tune of £20 million back in 2022, it was always going to require a temporary deal without the option of a permanent transfer at the end of it.
And these, Fabrizio Romano reports, are the conditions Chelsea are setting out as they weigh up what to do with Carney Chukwuemeka before the February deadline.
Rangers News had exclusively been told that Chelsea offered Rangers the chance to sign Chukwuemeka, presumably feeling that a spell north of the border would do wonders not only for the 21-year-old’s physical development, but also his understanding of what is required at a historic, silverware-chasing club with a vocal and expectant fanbase.
Then again, you can certainly also describe Borussia Dortmund in similar terms.
Coupled with their fabled reputation for turning promising youngsters into elite-level talent – see Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and, to a lesser extent, Chelsea’s own Jadon Sancho – and you can see why a short spell in Germany may appeal both to the London giants and to Chukwuemeka himself.
Dortmund pushing for Carney Chukwuemeka after Chelsea offered him to Rangers
Now, that Rangers talk has not really progressed in the last month or so.
Perhaps the Glaswegians knew that their chances were slim from the get-go. Perhaps they felt a short-term, sticking plaster solution was not the way to go.
Rangers are leading the chase to sign Dundee’s Lyall Cameron – another all-action young midfielder but one far more affordable with his contract expiring – while Leon Belcar, Marko Soldo and Sasa Zdjelar have all been considered for permanent moves.
Chukwuemeka, if he was to arrive at Ibrox instead, would return to Chelsea in only a few months’ time. Thus, sending Rangers straight back to square one in their pursuit of midfield reinforcements.
As Romano explains, Chelsea still see a future for the one-time Aston Villa wonderkid at Stamford Bridge. Dortmund have held talks with his representatives, though competition is expected to arrive not from Scotland but from Strasbourg.
The Ligue 1 outfit share a common ownership with Chelsea. Djodje Petrovic, Andrey Santos and Caleb Wiley are already on loan in Alsace from West London.
- READ MORE: Rangers Transfer History 2016-Present
Chelsea want Chukwuemeka’s £100,000-a-week salary paid during loan
“Carney Chukwuemeka has some possibility to go to sister club Strasbourg but also Borussia Dortmund,” Romano says. Borussia Dortmund are in contact with the agent of the player and with Chelsea.
“Borussia Dortmund believes Carney could be an ideal option for the midfield.”
Another, more sizeable, obstacle standing in the way of Rangers meanwhile is Chukwuemeka’s monster salary. Chelsea reportedly want Dortmund, should they win the race, to contribute the entirety of his reported £100,000-a-week wages between now and the end of the campaign.
At Rangers, Chelsea would have had no choice but to heavily subsidise that arrangement.
“Chelsea are open to a loan but no buy option,” Romano adds. So straight loan, six months, but no buy option. Cover the salary, pay for the loan, and get the player back to London. That’s the idea of Chelsea.
“Let’s see what Borussia Dortmund or more clubs decide to do.”
Clement’s side are yet to make their first signing of the January window but that could soon change. CEO Patrick Stewart admits that Rangers could bring in one or two new faces, with Dens Park dynamo Cameron perhaps the most likely at this stage.
“It is no surprise when a player like that is out of contract and there will be interest in him,” Dundee coach Tony Docherty said on Monday ahead of the clash with Celtic. “It is purely speculation at the moment. We have a lot of players, six or seven who are out-of-contract at the end of the season.
“We have identified, as a club, to offer contract extensions and it is then their prerogative what they do with them. A couple have come back and said they will sign and others are exploring their options.
“Lyall is in that category. It is the business we are in and it doesn’t surprise me that there is that amount of speculation about Lyall because he is an extremely talented young footballer.”
