Fabrizio Romano gives his take on Chelsea’s links with Dani Olmo

Fabrizio Romano rebuffs Chelsea interest in Spanish star Dani Olmo

Fabrizio Romano has clarified that there is no concrete interest from Chelsea in a potential transfer for Dani Olmo, despite speculation linking the Spanish forward to the club. Olmo, who has a €60 million release clause, has drawn attention from other European clubs.

Currently plying his trade for Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, Olmo has featured in 15 Bundesliga matches this season, contributing three goals and four assists. However, given his price tag and the availability of other options, Chelsea may opt to explore alternatives in the transfer market.

While Chelsea acknowledges the need to strengthen certain areas of the squad, they must also adhere to Financial Fair Play regulations, particularly with ongoing scrutiny from the Premier League in this regard.

But Olmo is an unlikely prospect that the Blues will look to sign, as confirmed by Romano. Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest column for the Daily Briefing, he said:

“Despite some media reports about Chelsea being interested in Dani Olmo, I’m not aware of anything concrete happening there for now. Still, he will have a release clause this summer worth €60 million, which will become active for the first time. At the moment, it’s quiet, but let’s see what happens, as he’s a talented player.”

It is clear that at the moment, Chelsea do not appear to be probing the matter. But then, things could change once his release clause becomes active. Whether the Blues believe it is worth taking a punt on remains to be seen. After all, players of the Spaniard’s ability don’t come along very often, especially at the quoted price.

Do Chelsea need Olmo?

Bringing in Olmo might not be the most prudent move for Chelsea, especially considering the emergence of Cole Palmer, who has excelled in a similar position this season. The 25-year-old’s preferred position overlaps with Palmer’s, and given the latter’s impressive performances, the Blues might be better off avoiding redundancy in that area of the squad.

It appears unnecessary to acquire Dani Olmo’s physical profile as a number 10, particularly with the presence of Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, and Mykhaylo Mudryk, who have all shown proficiency in exploiting half-spaces. Given that there are already three players occupying similar positions, it would not be prudent to introduce another player in that role. Instead, Chelsea should focus on strengthening other areas of the squad.

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Acquiring a player with the attributes outlined could significantly enhance Chelsea’s squad dynamics. Such a player would offer versatility and fill multiple roles effectively, providing height in the box, creative prowess, physical dominance in duels and counter-press situations, and a knack for well-timed runs into the box to both score and create goals.

But then, we already have players who can do that in the current roster. The money is better off invested elsewhere such that we can attain the right balance.