Chelsea given huge transfer boost as £32.5m Bayer target pushes for summer exit
Bayer Leverkusen star Hakan Calhanoglu wants to leave the Bundesliga outfit at the end of the season according to BILD Sport.
Per the source, Calhanoglu is keen on a summer exit and would preferably like to follow in the footsteps of former manager Roger Schmidt.
The German manager parted ways with Bayer on 5 March and Calhanoglu would be open to working with him again.
See More: How Chelsea’s 3-4-3 could lineup if £32.5 target Hakan Calhanoglu joins
“He’s the best coach I’ve ever had [Roger Schmidt]. I came with him to Leverkusen and I owe him a lot. He talked to me almost every day after the ban and tried to cheer me up. We still phone regularly after he was released. I hope we can work together again later,” Calhanoglu was quoted as saying.
The latest development follows Turkish sports newspaper Fanatik claiming that Bayer are prepared to sell Calhanoglu over the summer.
The 22-year-old does have a £32.5 million release clause but it remains to be seen whether Bayer will accept a lower transfer fee.
The news will come as a transfer boost for Chelsea who have been closely linked with the Turkish international.
Turkish newspaper Hurriyet claimed in January that they caught Calhanoglu confiding in private that he will have his wedding and then ‘god willing’ complete his Chelsea transfer.
Hurriyet published quotes claiming Calhanoglu had said: “I will have my wedding in a few months and then god willing, I will be a Chelsea player next season, there are also other clubs that want me.”
Calhanoglu the comments on Twitter however, the newspaper involved did not retract the quotes or issue an apology.
I said nothing about Chelsea in the press & didn’t talk to any Turkish journalist – neither about the court decision nor about my future!
— Hakan Çalhanoğlu (@hakanc10) February 6, 2017
Calhanoglu did end up getting married to Sinem Gundogudu in Mannheim, Germany in May.
The Sun have been the latest newspaper to link Chelsea with a move for Calhanoglu.
