Chelsea transfer news: Blues 'offering' £35m for Serie A star linked with Premier League rivals

Chelsea are reportedly prepared to pay £35m to sign Bologna winger Jonathan Rowe during the summer transfer window.

The Blues are currently preparing for Saturday's FA Cup final against Manchester City and a potentially-pivotal Premier League double-header with Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland as they bid to qualify for a European competition.

However, with BlueCo attempting to be proactive in their search for a new head coach, plans for the transfer market are being formulated behind the scenes at the same time.

While improving the defence and overall physicality of the squad is a priority, Chelsea's wingers have also struggled this campaign.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Chelsea chiefs may try to rectify the situation by bringing Rowe back to English football.

Chelsea to push for Rowe signing?

The report suggests that Chelsea have already decided that they are willing to pay £35m for the former Norwich City starlet.

Rowe has contributed seven goals and three assists from 24 starts and 14 substitute outings in Serie A and the Europa League this season.

On Sunday, the 23-year-old scored a dramatic winner in a 3-2 victory at Napoli, while he also netted against Aston Villa in the first leg of their Europa League last-eight tie.

Although Bologna will naturally want to keep Rowe, they are highly likely to miss out on European qualification through their position in the Serie A table.

Therefore, cashing in on a player who cost approximately £16.8m at the start of the campaign may make sense.

Manchester United, Aston Villa and Galatasaray are also said to be monitoring any developments for Rowe, who would allegedly be open to a return to England after also spending time at Marseille since his exit from Norwich.

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— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) May 12, 2026

Is Jonathan Rowe worth £35m?

With Rowe's only experience in the Premier League being as a teenager in 2021-22 where he made 13 appearances, it is unclear how he would adapt to life back in England's top flight.

Nevertheless, this is a player who has racked up a combined 11 goals and eight assists from 71 appearances for Marseille and Bologna, despite only making 33 starts.

He departed Norwich with a record of 12 goals and two assists from 35 outings in the Championship, another respectable return at that stage of his career.

Many Chelsea fans will argue that they should be aiming higher than a player who is yet to be considered for an England call-up at the age of 23, yet they paid over £50m for Jamie Gittens who was of a similar profile when he arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer.

At this point in time, Rowe should not be viewed as value for money at £35m, but he has definitely enhanced his reputation since both Marseille and Bologna paid in the region of £17m for his services.