Marc Guiu Approaches Chelsea Exit as Napoli Leads Striker Race

Chelsea’s clear-out up front is gathering pace – and Marc Guiu looks the next to go.

The 20-year-old striker is closing in on a move away from Stamford Bridge, with Napoli among the clubs pushing hardest to sign him before the transfer deadline. He is weighing up three concrete options, with sides from Italy, Spain and Germany all on the table, either on loan or in a permanent deal.

Napoli want to buy. They see an opportunity in a young forward who, despite limited minutes, still managed three goals in 16 appearances across all competitions for Chelsea last season. The Serie A club, already finalising an initial season-long loan for Benoit Badiashile, have also looked at Nicolas Jackson, but Chelsea’s £65million valuation has cooled that interest.

Guiu’s price is different. Signed from Barcelona in 2024 for £5m, the La Masia product is now valued at around £25m. That jump comes even though he has struggled for game time in west London and has quickly slipped down the pecking order.

The clearest sign of his status came before a ball was kicked this season. New head coach Xabi Alonso did not hand Guiu a squad number ahead of Chelsea’s opening Premier League fixture against Fulham on Monday night. For a young striker trying to break through, that is as blunt a message as any.

Alonso's Brief

Alonso’s brief is obvious: trim the squad and reshape the attack. Chelsea are open to offers for Jackson, Guiu and Liam Delap as the Spaniard locks in his preferred forward line for the campaign.

Jackson is not short of admirers. Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid are among the clubs monitoring his situation, though the price tag remains a hurdle. Delap has a different market. Everton, Nottingham Forest and former club Ipswich all hold an interest, while Serie A side Como – who have already taken Trevoh Chalobah from Chelsea this window – are also keen on the 23-year-old.

Chelsea, though, are not in the mood to sell cheap. Despite Delap scoring just two goals in all competitions last season, the club have set a £50m asking price as they look to turn a profit on the £30m they paid to beat Manchester United to his signature last summer. Ipswich, for their part, are watching closely, having inserted a sell-on clause when they sold him to Chelsea.

Amid all the movement and speculation, one position is settled. Chelsea will start the new campaign with Joao Pedro as their undisputed first-choice striker. The Brazilian has been a rare constant in a revolving forward department, impressing since his arrival from Brighton last summer.

His reward has already arrived. A new long-term contract running until 2034, with a pay rise and improved terms, underlines how firmly he sits at the heart of Alonso’s plans.

For Guiu, the picture is very different. The next decision he makes – Napoli, or one of his other suitors in Spain or Germany – could define whether he becomes another talent lost in Chelsea’s churn, or the latest young forward to use a move away as a launchpad.