GITT IN THERE! Chelsea close to Gittens transfer with deal expected next week

CHELSEA are close to landing Jamie Gittens for £55.5million from Borussia Dortmund.

Both clubs, who are at the Club World Cup in the United States, have been locked in talks in the last 48 hours and should reach an agreement next week.

Gittens, 20, is ready to end his four-year stint in Germany and return to the club where he was once part of the youth set-up.

Chelsea were hoping to secure the England Under-21 international for £50m with add-ons but the deal will cost more.

Gittens has struggled with illness and hardly played in the USA.

The Blues have already spent £1.4billion to assemble their current squad, but club transfer chiefs are desperate to bring their former youth star back home.

Reports suggest they have tabled a seven-year offer to tempt him into a Stamford Bridge return, despite a £42million bid being rejected earlier this month.

Gittens - who changed his surname from Bynoe-Gittens on the advice of his father - enjoyed a breakout season with Dortmund.

Across 48 games in all competitions before the Club World Cup, 34 of which he started, the England youth star netted 12 goals and added five assists.

In October, at 20 years and 75 days old, Gittens became the youngest English player to score against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Gittens joins new Dortmund team-mate Jobe Bellingham and Chelsea's Liam Delap in a list full of players who couldn't join England's Under-21s at the Euros this summer.

Despite several high profile absences, the young Three Lions have made the Euros final yet again, where they hope to retain their title when they face off against Germany on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Blues defender Tosin Adarabioyo insists Cole Palmer CAN handle the hype of being the club’s “superstar”.

The pair were pals at Manchester City, even though Tosin, 27, is four years older.

Fifa have used the face of Palmer on every poster plugging Blues’ games at the Club World Cup, including Saturday's last- 16 clash with Benfica.

Tosin said: “I banter him sometimes and tell him he’s a little superstar. But he handles it very well and he knows his focus is on football.”