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Chelsea and Arsenal have been dealt a major blow in their pursuit of AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham. The England international has attracted interest from the two Premier League giants thanks to his incredible debut campaign with Jose Mourinho's side. However, the striker has insisted that he is happy in Rome and has committed his future to the club.
Abraham opted to leave Chelsea last summer due to a lack of regular playing time. He made 32 appearances and scored 12 goals in all competitions during the 2020-21 campaign but fell behind Timo Werner and Kai Havertz in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge. He joined AS Roma in a deal worth £34 million. The striker has scored 26 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions for Roma this season.
He has helped the club reach the final of the Europa Conference League and secure sixth place in the league table, thereby qualifying for the Europa League. Chelsea and Arsenal are believed to be interested in bringing Abraham back to England. He has, however, expressed his gratitude towards the Italian capital club for giving him the opportunity to prove himself and is expected to stay at the Stadio Olimpico.
"I love this club. They've given me the opportunity to show myself, my heart is here. We'll see what the future gold, but my heart is here", Abraham told DAZN (via Goal).
Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku for a club-record fee of £97.5 million after parting ways with Tammy Abraham last summer. The Belgian has endured a difficult first season at Stamford Bridge, scoring just 15 times in 44 appearances in all competitions. The Blues could therefore attempt to persuade Abraham to make the move back to west London this summer.
Arsenal, on the other hand, parted ways with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January. The Gunners failed to sign a replacement for the Gabon international and are expected to prioritize signing a top-quality striker during the summer transfer window.
Arsenal could hold the upper hand over Chelsea in race to sign Tammy Abraham if he opts to return to England
Despite thriving under Jose Mourinho and expressing his love for the Italian club, Abraham could be persuaded to return to the Premier League. The 24-year-old will be keen to lead the line for one of England's 'top six' clubs in the near future.
Joining a club like Arsenal or Chelsea could put him in the limelight and improve his chances of making Gareth Southgate's England squad for the 20222 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The striker could prefer a move to Arsenal over Chelsea as he is likely to become a regular starter for the Gunners. Mikel Arteta's side are desperately short of attacking options and are bracing themselves for the potential exits of Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah. The duo's contracts are set to expire at the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Chelsea possess a number of forwards in their ranks in the form of Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner, and Kai Havertz.
