Chelsea have reached an agreement with Red Bull Salzburg sporting director, Christoph Freund.
What’s the word?
That is according to the ever-reliable super journalist that is Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter to issue the update.
But while the club have reached an agreement on personal terms, Romano states that the Red Bull group are “really trying” to keep their director.
Taking to his personal Twitter page, Romano said: “Christoph Freund reached an agreement on contract with Chelsea on Sunday. Project was also approved, all ready – but Red Bull group is really trying to keep the director.
“Chelsea will insist, but also re-open talks with other candidates as Freund could now stay.”
Potter x Freund
There are both positive and negative connotations to be drawn from Romano’s latest update over Freund.
The good news is that the sporting director is clearly interested in joining the club, after agreeing a contract with the Blues over the weekend.
The bad news is that Red Bull group will do everything in their power to get their prize asset to stay, and it is no wonder why.
Freund is the man responsible for some miraculous and profitable findings for Salzburg, having brought in the likes of Karim Adeyemi, Brenden Aaronson and Dominik Szoboszlai – who made Salzburg an easy £77m in future sales whilst helping them to remain dominant in the Austrian Bundesliga.
Perhaps the biggest trophy in Freund’s scouting haul is 22-year-old Norwegian goal-machine Erling Haaland, who is looking like a future record breaker in the Premier League, having already netted an impressive 11 goals in just seven games.
An experienced sporting director who boasts a wonderfully significant CV will be music to the ears of manager Graham Potter, who seemingly enjoys developing high-potential talent if his time at Brighton is anything to go by.
