Chelsea had been looking to add quality to their frontline, which lacked imagination last season. They completed a £30m deal for striker Liam Delap and were eager to sign another forward. However, Kehl revealed that Dortmund's valuation of Gittens was too high, and a deal could not be reached.

Despite the failed negotiations, Kehl expressed his respect for Chelsea's approach, stating that the talks were "very, very respectful." He also acknowledged that the two clubs have a long history of good dialogue and are open to future discussions.

Gittens has since been named in Dortmund's squad for the Club World Cup, and Chelsea may re-attempt to sign him when the transfer window reopens on June 16th. Kehl understands that there may be offers in the future and is open to discussing the possibility of Gittens joining Chelsea.

"We looked into it very seriously, but in the end, we made a decision for ourselves," Kehl said. "It's still absolutely okay that Chelsea made this attempt. And, once again, we are in good dialogue. Let's see how things develop in the future."