Chelsea and Bayern Munich will lock horns in the race to sign Palmeiras attacking midfielder Luis Guilherme, according to Brazilian outlet R7.
The Brazilian outfit will not stand in Guilherme’s path to Europe but are unwilling to sanction his departure without securing the highest possible transfer fee for him.
Chelsea and Bayern have reached out to Palmeiras with an official proposal worth €35 million (R$190m) for the 17-year-old forward.
However, Palmeiras president Leila Pereira has knocked back their opening bid, demanding at least €60m (R$327m) to part ways with the eye-catching youngster.
Palmeiras have informed Chelsea and Bayern that it will take an initial €35m plus an additional €25m in performance-related bonuses to get a deal over the line.
Guilherme is currently under contract with Palmeiras until 2025, and the club holds 90% of his economic rights. His contract reportedly includes a termination clause worth €60m.
As Guilherme won’t turn 18 until February, any potential deal would likely see him join his new club next summer.
While Chelsea and Bayern are considered the front-runners to sign Guilherme, they will face competition from other European clubs.
Reports suggest that up to five European clubs sent scouts to watch the Brazilian’s performance in the CONMEBOL Libertadores semi-final encounter against Boca Juniors at Allianz Parque.
Since linking up with the first team set-up at the start of 2023, Guilherme has featured 23 times across all competitions but is yet to open his goalscoring account – although he has registered an assist.
He could be the next youngster to earn a big money move away from Palmeiras, following in the footsteps of Endrick, who is set to join Real Madrid for €72m next summer.
In addition to their pursuit of Guilherme, Chelsea are also making progress in their move for another Brazilian prospect, Gabriel Moscardo, with Corinthians demanding at least €30m for his services.