Chelsea and Arsenal are reportedly set to go head-to-head in the summer transfer window for Porto forward Samu Aghehowa. The 20-year-old, who joined Porto from Atletico Madrid last year, has been in impressive form, scoring 19 goals and providing three assists in 31 appearances across all competitions.
Despite being heavily linked with Chelsea last summer, Aghehowa opted for a move to Portugal, where he has excelled. His performances include 13 goals and three assists in 19 league games, as well as six goals in nine Europa League matches, two of which came against Manchester United.
According to reports from CaughtOffside, Chelsea are looking to reignite their interest in the Spanish international, but Arsenal are also strongly considering a move as they seek a new striker. While Aghehowa’s Porto contract includes a €100m (£82.5m) release clause, both clubs believe a bid in the region of €50m (£41m) could be enough to secure his signature.
Aston Villa and West Ham United have also shown interest, but Chelsea and Arsenal are leading the race for the talented forward. Spain sees Aghehowa as a key part of their future plans, and he has continued to prove his quality after a strong loan spell at Alaves last season, where he scored eight goals in La Liga.
Reflecting on his challenging summer before joining Porto, Aghehowa previously revealed the emotional toll of his uncertain future, particularly after his Chelsea transfer fell through despite an alleged £35m agreement with Atletico Madrid.
Speaking to EFE, he said, “It was a very difficult summer. When I was in Madrid, I had a very bad time. In the end, thank God, everything turned out well. If the Chelsea deal didn’t work out, it was for a reason. I trained separately at Atletico, I didn’t feel involved, not like a footballer. I cried a lot at night, and my family suffered too. But in the end, everything came together, and I made the best decision.”
With both Chelsea and Arsenal keen to strengthen their attacking options, the battle for Aghehowa’s signature is expected to intensify in the coming months.
