2 weeks ago
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Academy star exit
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Chelsea winger Tyrique George is set to join west London neighbours Fulham on a permanent deal ahead of the transfer deadline. The Blues forward featured against the Cottagers in the 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge on Saturday after replacing the injured Liam Delap from the bench. But it appears that he is now poised to link up with Marco Silva's side just days after facing them.
According to The Athletic, Fulham have agreed a €25.4million fee and have finalised personal terms with George on a five-year contract until June 2030. George held talks with RB Leipzig and AS Roma about a potential move abroad in August, but Fulham have won the race to sign the highly-rated Londoner. He will undergo a medical ahead of his switch to Craven Cottage before Monday's deadline on September 1. His exit will take Chelsea's total sales this summer to over €340m, with further departures expected to be rubber-stamped in the coming hours.
The 19-year-old graduated from the club's famed Cobham academy in 2023-24 and earned a regular spot in the first-team squad last season under Enzo Maresca. However, despite making a sizeable impact and attracting acclaim from Blues fans, his minutes primarily came from the bench and he was limited to just eight Premier League appearances. Ironically, his first league goal came against Fulham last season, a strike that was viewed as a pivotal moment in Chelsea securing their fourth-placed finish last term.
But Chelsea have splashed out €235.4m on attacking reinforcements in the summer transfer window, resulting in George being deemed surplus to requirements. The west London club spent €56m to sign Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund, before clinching a €46.2m deal for Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho last week. Estêvão's previously-agreed transfer from Palmeiras has coincided with George falling down the pecking order this season, and the future arrival of Geovany Quenda from Sporting CP in 2026 means that Maresca does not need to find a replacement.
With a market value of €10m, Chelsea will receive a fee that is more than double that amount at €25.4m. The agreement also contains a sell-on clause, an option which has paid off handsomely for Chelsea in the past. George represents a 'pure profit' sale under the Premier League's profit and sustainability regulations (PSR), which will boost Chelsea's ability to conduct deals in the future.
