Chelsea lost Lewis Bate to Leeds United. (imago Images)
According to Simon Johnson of The Athletic (Subscription Required), Leeds United have agreed on a fee with Chelsea for midfielder Lewis Bate and hope to conclude the deal by the end of this week.
The report mentions that personal terms are being discussed with Bate potentially undergoing a medical on Wednesday. The Blues have ‘negotiated a sell-on clause’, but there is no buy-back clause inserted.
Other clubs can still potentially hijack the deal in the 11th hour. Brighton, West Ham United, Leicester City, and Liverpool have all been credited with an interest, but Leeds looks like the possible destination for the 18-year-old. (h/t The Athletic)
The Blues did try to keep the England U19 international at Stamford Bridge, whose current deal expires in 2022. They offered him a contract at the end of last season, but he rejected it amid fears of lack of first-team opportunities in the future.
And he may not be wrong. Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, and Mateo Kovacic are Thomas Tuchel’s three preferred midfielders to play in a midfield two. There are also players like Billy Gilmour that are ready for first-team action.
For Bate, a move to a side where he can get more playing time is understandably the better option for his individual career right now. As for Chelsea, selling him in this window makes sense considering he only has one year left on his deal
His potential departure should not hurt the Blues to a great extent. Bate has never played a single minute of first-team football at Chelsea and has only made their bench thrice.
It would have been ideal if the club inserted a buy-back clause, but you can’t win every battle in the field of the transfer market.
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