Forward Omari Hutchinson’s Town exit looks to have moved a step closer with Brentford reported to have agreed a fee with Manchester United for Bryan Mbeumo.
The Bees view Hutchinson as a replacement for Mbeumo, for whom they are understood to have accepted a fee of £70 million - £65 million guaranteed - with the Red Devils.
On Tuesday, the West Londoners made a number of offers to the Blues for the England U21 international, eventually reaching the £35 million relegation release clause fee prior to it expiring at 5pm, but without meeting the required payment terms with bid payable over a long period.
While Town are not actively looking to sell Hutchinson this summer, the Bees appear certain to come back in with a further offer, which would have to be in excess of £35 million - some reports have claimed Town want £40 million - and on the basis of cash up front to the greater degree rather than over a period of years, which could well be acceptable to the club.
Elsewhere, Italian journalist Nicolo Shira says a deal to 2030 awaits the 21-year-old at Brentford.
Hutchinson, who has four years remaining on his Blues contract, is now believed to have returned from his holiday, having been given additional time off following the England U21s’ successful European Championship campaign, but is not with Town in Austria.
The Blues paid Chelsea an initial £20 million for Hutchinson last summer with the £2.5 million top-up clauses having been triggered over the last year. The West Londoners are understood to be due a percentage of the fee - 25 per cent of profit was reported at time of last year’s move - Town would receive.
Hutchinson is one of two of the Blues’ key players close to leaving with skipper Sam Morsy’s exit to Kuwait SC understood to be all but done, the Egypt international having been offered a very lucrative two-year deal.