Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq have opened talks with Chelsea over a deal to sign midfielder Harvey Vale, according to the Daily Mail. An agreement between the two clubs is said to be “close”, but the completion of the transfer will depend on whether the player wants to move.
Vale, 20, spent last season on loan at Bristol Rovers, making 39 appearances in League One. He is deemed surplus to requirements at Chelsea, who will receive any money from his proposed sale as pure profit, helping them comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules after another summer of lavish spending.
Al-Ettifaq have reportedly identified Vale as a “key target” as they look to improve on last season’s sixth-place finish in the Saudi Pro League. There is no indication as to whether or not Vale is interested in a move to Saudi Arabia.
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The versatile youngster has a year left on his contract at Chelsea, with the option of an extension for a further year. He showed promise after making his debut under Thomas Tuchel in 2021 and captaining England to glory at the Under-19s Euros a year later.
But Vale has since fallen out of favour, with an impressive loan spell with Bristol Rovers not enough to put him in the first-team picture under Enzo Maresca. Instead, he has been training with the club’s long list of outcasts, including Raheem Sterling, Romelu Lukaku and Ben Chilwell.
In FourFourTwo’s view, this is a move that could be beneficial for all parties. Vale is not going to feature at Chelsea and remaining in England would likely mean joining a Championship club. That could eventually lead him back to the Premier League, but joining Gerrard in Saudi Arabia could be an alternative pathway to success, with the added bonus of being exceptionally well remunerated.
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