Jamie Gittens: Why Chelsea want to sign the Dortmund winger | OneFootball

Chelsea are stepping up their interest in signing Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund, with an improved offer expected after an opening proposal was turned down.

The 20-year-old has caught the eye at Dortmund this season, an increasingly familiar breeding ground for emerging English talent. Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham each chose to leave England for the Westfalenstadion and saw their development accelerate.

Gittens has followed a similar path since leaving Manchester City for Dortmund in 2020. After a breakthrough campaign last term, Chelsea are now working to bring him to the Premier League.

Jamie Gittens: Why Chelsea want to sign the Dortmund winger

Early development

At 15, Gittens made the bold decision to leave Manchester City for Germany. The winger had spent two seasons with the Citizens, having moved to the Etihad from Reading. Gittens also spent time with Chelsea as a youngster and a summer transfer could become a full-circle moment.

Injuries impacted his early time at Dortmund, but he returned to impress in 2021/22 for the club’s development side. He scored six times in four appearances as Dortmund reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Youth League, including a brace in the last-16 elimination of Manchester United. He ended the campaign just one goal behind a three-way tie for the Golden Boot.

In April 2022, he made his Bundesliga debut and that summer formed part of England’s successful side at the u-19 European Championship. Playing up an age group, he featured alongside the likes of Carney Chukwuemeka and Liam Delap in England’s triumphant tournament.

Dortmund breakthrough

After sporadic senior involvement the following season, the 2023/24 campaign proved a breakthrough one for Gittens. He made 14 league starts in the Bundesliga, scoring once and providing four assists.

He also earned more regular minutes in Europe, though was reduced to a late cameo in the Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid.

The departures of senior talent in 2024 then saw Gittens take on a prominent role. Marco Reus joined LA Galaxy and Jadon Sancho returned to Manchester United from his loan.

Nuri Şahin’s reign as head coach was short-lived but he placed his faith in Gittens and was rewarded. The winger was a silver lining in an otherwise difficult campaign for Dortmund, scoring twice in the season opener against Eintracht Frankfurt and failing to look back.

A run of five goals and two assists in seven games over the winter underlined his increasingly important status at Dortmund, with Gittens continuing to perform even as results were less consistent.

He ended the campaign with 12 goals and four assists in all competitions as Dortmund finished strong to secure Champions League qualification.

Why Chelsea want to sign Gittens this summer

Enzo Maresca’s side was overloaded with attacking options last season but inconsistent performances and external factors have contributed to the need for additions.

Jadon Sancho’s loan from Manchester United was not made permanent, with Chelsea opting against the deal after failing to find an agreement on personal terms. Mykhailo Mudryk’s future is also uncertain.

The Ukraine international was provisionally suspended in December after an adverse finding in a drug sample. The investigation is expected to rumble on well into next season. Chelsea have re-allocated Mudryk’s number 10 shirt to Cole Palmer.

With a left-sided right-footed attacker on the agenda, Gittens ticks plenty of boxes for Chelsea’s recruitment team. At 20, he fits the brief of an emerging talent with long-term potential.

The numbers make for good reading.

Last season, Gittens led all Bundesliga players for successful take-ons and progressive carries per 90 minutes. A two-footed dribbler capable of beating players on the inside or outside, he ranked in the top 3% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues on both metrics.

While carrying is Gittens’ greatest strength, he also outperformed Chelsea’s current cast of wide players on crucial metrics when it comes to end product. Gittens’ eight non-penalty league goals placed him in the 88th percentile of wingers in Europe. Noni Madueke (79th), Pedro Neto (36th) and Jadon Sancho (36th) all trailed behind.

In terms of chance creation, only Neto outperformed Gittens when it came to assists and key passes per 90 minutes. While a return of four assists last season can be improved, the underlying data indicates an upward curve is possible.

His ability to cut inside and shoot, or cross from the byline on his left foot, gives Gittens an unpredictability that Chelsea’s wide players have often lacked. He’s capable of sharp shifts in tight spaces or longer distance bursts in behind. It’s a variety that Chelsea admire.

Blossoming Bundesliga performances do not necessarily equate to a Premier League repeat, but the raw ingredients are there for Gittens to excel in England. Chelsea are closing in on a player of real promise.

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