Chelsea will be able to bag one transfer target for half the valuation Frank Lampard once held him at. Blues legend Lampard previously suggested that Everton hitman Dominic Calvert-Lewin was worth as much as £80million.
The Premier League icon-turned-manager, who worked with the 27-year-old at Goodison Park from 2022 to 2023, oversaw a tough campaign where Everton just escaped relegation by a mere two points. Despite an injury-riddled season for Calvert-Lewin, Lampard placed immense value on his abilities.
The striker had been out for 60 days due to a knee issue and missed a further 17 games with hamstring troubles, and in 2022, Lampard revealed what he truly thought about the centre-forward's worth. "I don't think you can look away from the fact of what a £60million, £70m, £80m striker can do for you.
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"The impact he can have on confidence and the team and what he offers is a huge deal. I don't want to look too far ahead but if we can keep him fit that will be a positive."
Chelsea, after finishing sixth last season in the Premier League, have been splashing cash to reinforce their squad under new boss Enzo Maresca. So far, they've snapped up 10 players this transfer window, including head-turning deals like Pedro Neto from Wolves for a hefty £54million and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City at £30million.
Despite this influx of talent, the Blues remain keen to enhance their options further up top, reports Football London. Chelsea have been keeping tabs on Napoli's Victor Osimhen, but his staggering £500,000-per-week wage demands have seemingly scuppered any potential deal, forcing the Blues to look elsewhere.
One name that has emerged is Calvert-Lewin, who could provide a goalscoring threat in west London at a more affordable price. Lampard's valuation of Calvert-Lewin two years ago was significantly higher than Everton's current asking price for their striker.
In June, it was suggested that Everton would accept as little as £37million this summer, and they might even consider a lower bid this late in the transfer window with his contract due to expire next June, when they would lose him for nothing. Newcastle United were on the verge of signing Calvert-Lewin earlier in the window, but the deal fell through over personal terms.
However, the Magpies could still re-enter the race to sign Calvert-Lewin before Friday's deadline. And if Chelsea are serious about bringing Calvert-Lewin to Stamford Bridge, they may need to act swiftly to negotiate a deal with Everton.
