Borussia Dortmund are closing in on a permanent transfer for Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, with negotiations advancing rapidly for the 21-year-old, who spent last season on loan with the Bundesliga club, as reported by Goal.com on August 5, 2025. The Black and Yellows are also preparing a formal offer for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Argentine playmaker Facundo Buonanotte, aiming to bolster their attacking options before the transfer window closes on August 30. The dual pursuit follows Dortmund’s need to replace Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, who moved to Chelsea, and Gio Reyna, set to join Parma, as head coach Niko Kovac seeks to revitalize a squad that finished 11th in the Bundesliga last season.[](https://www.goal.com/en/lists/borussia-dortmund-new-deal-chelsea-carney-chukwuemeka-line-up-offer-facundo-buonanotte-brighton/blt0fb98bf34ed21085)
Chukwuemeka, who joined Chelsea from Aston Villa for £20 million in 2022, made 17 appearances during his Dortmund loan, scoring once against Freiburg despite injury setbacks. Sky Germany reports that Chelsea have lowered their asking price to around €25 million (£22 million), making a permanent deal feasible, with Chukwuemeka eager to reunite with Kovac. Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl praised the midfielder’s “dynamism and outstanding quality,” noting his potential to address midfield struggles that saw the team earn just 29 points from 20 games last season. The club’s shift from a loan to a permanent transfer reflects their confidence in Chukwuemeka’s box-to-box potential.[](https://www.getfootballnewsgermany.com/2025/borussia-dortmund-in-negotiations-with-chelsea-over-carney-chukwuemeka/)[](https://www.forbes.com/sites/manuelveth/2025/02/03/borussia-dortmund-add-carney-chukwuemeka-on-loan-from-chelsea/)
Meanwhile, Dortmund are set to submit an offer for Buonanotte, the 20-year-old who impressed with five goals and two assists in 31 games on loan at Leicester City last season. Sky Germany indicates that the Argentine, who has 71 Premier League appearances since joining Brighton in 2023, is open to a move to the Ruhrgebiet, though Brighton’s manager Fabian Hurzeler values his role in their pre-season plans. Dortmund’s interest intensified after complications in earlier talks for Chukwuemeka, with Olympique Lyon also in the race for Buonanotte, per Fabrizio Romano. The versatile playmaker’s potential €25 million transfer could see him replace Bynoe-Gittens directly, offering flair and goal-scoring threat.[](https://www.getfootballnewsgermany.com/2025/borussia-dortmund-prepare-to-submit-offer-to-brighton-for-facundo-buonanotte/)[](https://tribuna.com/en/news/2025-07-23-borussia-dortmund-and-olympique-lyon-in-talks-to-sign-facundo-buonanotte-from-brighton-fa/)
With the Bundesliga season kicking off against Eintracht Frankfurt on August 16, 2025, Dortmund’s aggressive transfer strategy, which includes Jobe Bellingham’s recent signing, aims to restore their Champions League contender status. The club’s talks with Chelsea also involved discussions about other players like Tyrique George and Axel Disasi, but Chukwuemeka and Buonanotte remain the priorities. If completed, these signings could form a dynamic midfield core alongside Bellingham, though Dortmund must navigate Brighton’s reluctance and Lyon’s competition to secure Buonanotte before the deadline.[](https://tbrfootball.com/carney-chukwuemeka-22m-deal-is-done-but-borussia-dortmund-now-want-another-chelsea-wonderkid/)
