Chelsea are in talks to bring Marc Guiu back from his loan at Sunderland and have contacted Sporting Lisbon about their 20-year-old striker Conrad Harder, the PA news agency understands.
The Blues are seeking a contingency after Liam Delap limped out of Saturday's 2-0 win over Fulham with a hamstring problem that could sideline him for up to two months. Chelsea had already agreed to loan Nicolas Jackson to Bayern Munich, but the German club backed out of the deal after the Blues ordered Jackson back from Germany, where he had just landed to finalise the move.
Jackson and his team remained hopeful on Monday that an understanding could still be reached between the clubs. Sporting's Harder, who has one cap for Denmark, is reportedly a target for RB Leipzig, but Chelsea enquired on Sunday about a possible move as they seek a way out of their impasse.
Guiu, who joined Chelsea from Barcelona in 2024, scored six times in 16 appearances last season, all in the Conference League. He is yet to score in the Premier League and has made only one league appearance for Sunderland since his loan move.
Summer signing Joao Pedro is currently the only fit striker available to head coach Enzo Maresca after the international break.
