Chelsea are stepping up their attempts to sign Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams this week, with the USMNT captain believed to have a £20m release clause in his Leeds contract after the Yorkshire side were relegated last season.
The midfielder missed the start of Leeds’ Championship campaign against Cardiff City with the same hamstring issue which saw him miss the back end of last season too, and could well have played his last game at Elland Road.
Adams only joined the Yorkshire side 12 months ago, but was a key figure under Jesse Marsch during the first half of the season before picking up a serious hamstring injury in March that ruled him out of the remainder of the campaign.
Signed for £34m, Leeds’ eventual relegation on the final day of the season courtesy of a defeat to Tottenham has seen the Yorkshire side set to make a massive loss on the 24-year-old this summer, after it emerged that he can leave for just £20m ahead of the new campaign.
Now, Chelsea are preparing to activate that release clause as they look to find midfield alternatives after seeing four bids for Moises Caicedo turned down by Brighton, who remain set on demanding £100m for the Ecuador star.
Though Adams is not viewed as a direct replacement for Caicedo, he will add plenty of experience to a midfield that has lost Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante since the start of the year.
Adams is unlikely to play for Chelsea until September through injury, meaning that he will miss the opening season clash with Liverpool as well as games against West Ham United and newly promoted Luton Town.
