Chelsea make official offer for Pulisic but Dortmund want £70m (Standard)

Chelsea have made their first official approach to Borussia Dortmund to sign Christian Pulisic.

Sources in Germany say Chelsea spoke with Dortmund on Friday about acquiring the 20-year-old winger.

It is understood Chelsea made an offer for the USA star in an attempt to convince Dortmund to sell next month.

The German outfit want £70m for Pulisic, even though he has only 18 months left on his contract and is refusing to discuss an extension.

Chelsea’s bid is believed to be below the asking price, while Dortmund say he will see out the season with them.

The Blues have prioritised strengthening in wide areas, with Eden Hazard yet to agree a new deal and Pedro and Willian in their thirties. 

Pulisic has been monitored by Chelsea for some time and he is understood to have held a meeting with Dortmund a few days before Chelsea got in contact on Friday.

Chelsea are not Pulisic’s first choice — he would rather go to Liverpool, where he can be reunited with former Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.

Standard Sport has learned Dortmund have already targeted Thorgan Hazard (below, left), who is the younger brother of Chelsea’s Eden, to replace Pulisic.

Chelsea sold Hazard to Borussia Monchengladbach for £5.9m in 2015 and as part of the sale they installed an option allowing them to match any bid a club make, so they have an option to re-sign the 25-year-old. 

The clause puts Chelsea in a strong bargaining position with Dortmund, as they can say they will not make a move for Hazard in exchange for coming to an agreement over Pulisic.