Chelsea transfer bid for bargain breakout striker rejected: report

Chelsea are keen on spending maximillions on Hoffenheim striker Maximilian Beier this summer and have submitted an opening bid following a breakout season for the German international.

21-year-old Beier netted 16 goals in 33 league outings in the Bundesliga last season having spent the previous two campaigns on loan with second-tier Hannover, earning him a call-up for Julian Nagelsmann's Euro 2024 squad.

His form also prompted reports that Jurgen Klopp was keen that Liverpool should activate Beier's €30m (£25.3m) release clause, but that never came to pass.

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Chelsea bid for Maximilian Beier knocked back by Hoffenheim

Caught Offside now report that release clause remains in effect, but that Chelsea have so far only tested the water with a €20m bid - and that Hoffenheim are holding out for the extra €10m before they will sanction any move.

They add that Chelsea would intend to offer Beier a six-year contract, though of course they would only be able to amortise that valuation over five years under Premier League rules that were voted in last year.

A fleet of German clubs have been linked with moving for Beier this summer too, including reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen, reputational giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, and VfB Stuttgart, for whom we have no preceding adjective.

Aston Villa are also said to have Beier shortlisted, but only as one of several possible options alongside Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta and Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix.

Chelsea have already been busy in this summer's transfer window, bringing in Villa's Omari Kellyman, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona's Marc Guiu, Leicester City's Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Basel's Renato Veiga, Atlanta United's Caleb Wiley and Villarreall goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.

Among their departures have been Maatsen - Villa again - alongside Lewis Hall to Newcastle United and Omari Hutchinson in a permanent switch to Ipswich Town. Conor Gallagher is said to be in negotiations over a move to Atletico, meanwhile.