Chelsea and Barcelona are handed a boost in their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund wonderkid Youssoufa Moukoko with the German club’s final contract offer still almost ‘£1million short of the 18-year-old’s demands’
- Chelsea and Barcelona have received a boost in the hunt for Youssoufa Moukoko
- Moukoko and Borussia Dortmund are said to be far apart in talks over a new deal
- The Cameroon-born 18-year-old striker made his Germany debut last month
- Both Barcelona and Chelsea are investing heavily in future talent for their sides
Chelsea and Barcelona have both received a boost in relation to getting 18-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko from Borussia Dortmund.
The teen, who represented Germany at the World Cup in only his second national appearance, has been unable to finalise a new deal with the Bundesliga club due to a dispute over his future wages.
And it could leave the Cameroon-born striker to play out the next stage of his club career elsewhere in Europe, with both Premier League Chelsea and LaLiga Barcelona interested in his services.
Youssoufa Moukoko may leave Borussia Dortmund in the summer after a dispute over payment
Moukoko is contracted to Borussia Dortmund until the summer, and they would like to secure the prodigy’s future, as the club has been a strong breeding ground for young talent including Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham.
Bild claims the club has made a final contract offer to the teenager worth £5.3m, but they remain about a million pounds apart in their valuations, which could see Moukoko move across Europe, as reported in The Sun.
On Instagram, the 18-year-old previously dismissed claims he turned down an old offer, writing: ‘Please don’t believe everything that’s been written in the papers.
‘I won’t let myself be pressured into a decision about my future. I will never accept such a lie about me.’
Moukoko, who was born in Cameroon, made his debut for the German national side last month
He said he was focusing on the second half of Borussia Dortmund’s season, where he is their top goalscorer in the Bundesliga, with six goals and four assists.
Chelsea have acquired a number of young talented players under the reign of Todd Boehly, as the Blues look ahead to the future under their new owner, and manager Graham Potter.
Meanwhile, Barcelona would be looking to add Moukoko alongside Gavi. Both were born in 2004, and represented their countries at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
According to Spain’s Sport outlet, former Dortmund prodigy Haaland had high praise for Moukoko.
Graham Potter’s Chelsea are in the hunt for Moukoko, as are Catalan-based giants Barcelona
Man City striker Haaland said: ‘Moukoko is much better than me at his age. At 15 he is already training with the Dortmund. I was still in my hometown.’
Moukoko was born in Yaounde, Cameroon, in 2004, and moved to Germany a decade later. He has played through the youth levels of the national side, before making his international debut in a pre-World Cup friendly against Oman in November.
He has broken all kinds of records for youngest appearances in the Champions League, and in the German national side, and now it looks like the next steps of his club career could be spent somewhere else in Europe.
Moukoko is focusing on the second half of the season with Dortmund, where he is top scorer
