CHELSEA are ready to join Manchester United and Liverpool in the £5million race for 17-year-old Wigan starlet Joe Gelhardt.
Boss Frank Lampard has identified the forward as a player he can add to his exciting crop of Stamford Bridge youngsters.
Chelsea have joined the race for young Wigan striker Joe Gelhardt
And the Blues could be in the box seat for signing him as the club have built up a strong relationship with the Latics following last year’s season-long loan for Reece James.
They have also loaned another young defender, Dujon Sterling, to Paul Cook’s side this season.
Wigan have moved quickly to tie Gelhardt up on a new deal to make sure they can maximise any potential transfer fee.
The striker has been at the club for seven years.
Lamps has not been scared to throw his young players straight into the line-up, with striker Tammy Abraham, midfielder Mason Mount, winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, plus defenders Fikayo Tomori and James making an impact this season.
Now Geldhardt is on his radar – although if a deal is wrapped up in January, the player could remain at the Championship club for the rest of the season.
The England Under-18 striker grabbed his first goal in professional football in the 2-2 draw with Hull this season.
He has made five appearances in total for the Latics.
He made his pro debut last season in the EFL Cup defeat to Rotherham when he had only just turned 16.
No doubt the Chelsea transfer ban imposed by Fifa has helped the youngsters get game time this season.
Mount, 20, has been the pick of Lamps’ impressive bunch of kids at Stamford Bridge this term.
He has scored five goals this term in 24 appearances for club and country, including his first England goal against Kosovo on Sunday.
Abraham, 22, has also impressed with 11 goals in 18 appearances.
Many wondered if he would be able to step up to the tough demands of the Premier League so quickly after his successful spell at Aston Villa in the Championship last term.
But under Lampard’s guidance he has bridged that gap effortlessly.
The latest off the Stamford Bridge conveyor belt are centre-half Tomori, who also featured in the England Euro 2020 qualifier, and right-back James.
James, 19, earned rave reviews at Wigan last term when he was one of the key reasons why they did not struggle, as many had feared.
He has now taken Cesar Azpilicueta’s right-back spot.
The Spanish defender ended his incredible run of consecutive matches as Lamps showed he had no time for sentiment, giving James his first Prem start in the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace last time out.
If Gelhardt does leave, he could favour a move to his native Merseyside, with Liverpool along with Everton both chasing the youngster.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
