Chelsea tried to sign Ben Seghir before he joined Bayer Leverkusen | OneFootball

Chelsea approached playmaker Eliesse Ben Seghir this summer, but he rejected the chance to join them, according to Foot Mercato.

The Blues ultimately signed Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens.

The young Moroccan international impressed at Monaco with his silky dribbling and creativity.

Ben Seghir scored six goals in 33 Ligue 1 appearances last season. He is one in a long line of elite talents from the Monaco academy.

However, after pondering his options, he turned Chelsea down and joined Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth €30 million plus add-ons.

Lauded as a ‘first-class technician’ by Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes, Ben Seghir would have been a terrific addition to the Chelsea ranks.

For Chelsea, the question is why they paid nearly twice as much for Gittens when a cheaper, technically gifted option in Ben Seghir was available.

The Monaco graduate represented real value, especially given his ability to unlock defences with flair and invention.

However, while Ben Seghir was the shrewder deal on paper, Gittens offers something more immediate.

The former Borussia Dortmund winger is the more rounded player, boasting pace, end product and higher goal contributions than the Moroccan.

At Chelsea, where impact is demanded straight away, that readiness could prove worth the extra investment.

Chelsea are well-stacked across every area of the pitch now, and Ben Seghir can focus on breaking into the Leverkusen line-up after their atrocious start to the season.