Chelsea could gain the ultimate revenge over Liverpool by securing the signature of Bournemouth ace Dominic Solanke.
The Blues are in the market for a striker this summer, with Enzo Maresca keen to mark his arrival in the Stamford Bridge dugout by acquiring the services of a marquee No. 9 who can lead the line for his side.
Napoli forward Victor Osimhen and RB Leipzig talent Benjamin Sesko are among a host of names to have been linked with the Blues as a result, as well as Premier League stars Evan Ferguson and Ivan Toney.
However, Chelsea could look to solve their striker woes by reuniting with a familiar face, Solanke.
The forward came through their academy before leaving for Liverpool in 2017, and he has since thrived for Bournemouth and earned himself plenty of plaudits along the way. Solanke scored 19 goals in 38 league appearances last season, and his performances have seen him tipped to join a top team ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
According to talkSPORT, the 26-year-old has a £65million release clause in his contract with the Cherries which can be activated by any of the traditional ‘Big Six’ clubs – and he therefore could be an interesting option to those teams given that he is proven in the Premier League and also homegrown.
Chelsea have been speculatively linked with Solanke, and if the Bournemouth star were to hit the ground running back at Stamford Bridge then the club would have several reasons to feel smug about themselves.
Notably, the Blues may feel that getting their man back for a reasonable £65m and having him lead the line for them in their European charge would be a form of revenge over Liverpool given the circumstances surrounding his move to Anfield.
After his contract expired with Chelsea in 2017, Solanke joined Liverpool and was fast-tracked into their first team. The Blues demanded a £10m fee for the then-19-year-old, which was markedly more than their rivals were willing to pay.
Twelve months later, Liverpool paid approximately £3m for the striker following a tribunal – banking £16m profit further down the line when the Cherries decided to target the forward.
The tribunal fee will have left a sour taste in the mouths of Chelsea so reuniting with the striker whilst he is playing the best football in his career may provide them with some comfort at a key stage in Todd Boehly’s project.