Eddie Howe remains interested in a move for USA international Christian Pulisic, who has not always been first choice at Stamford Bridge following Graham Potter’s arrival at the club back in September.
However, Potter revealed on Friday that the 28-year-old will be sidelined for a couple of months with the knee injury he suffered in the 1-0 loss to Manchester City on January 5.
Newcastle’s recruitment team are said to have identified Pulisic as someone who could go straight into Howe’s first team.
However, his injury blow may well have led to the Magpies stalling over any deal.
To that end, former West Ham striker Frank McAvennie insists there is no chance for a deal to happen.
He told Football Insider: “It [the injury] will hamper any move for this month that is for sure.
“That zip that he used to have, that quickness of feet and quickness of passing and intelligence, that is not there at the moment.
“I remember seeing him and he was all over the place, he is not anymore.
“Nobody will take him when he is injured that is for sure.”
Pulisic has made 16 league appearances for Potter’s side so far this season. However, only six of those games have been starts and he has one goal and an assist.
When the USA international does return he could face an even harder task of getting back into the Chelsea team.
The Blues are closing in on a big-money deal for Mykhaylo Mudryk after hijacking Arsenal’s move for the winger.
The Athletic has provided an update that Chelsea have reached an agreement with Shakhtar Donetsk to sign Mudryk. They will be paying €70million (£62million) up front and have offered up to €40million (£35million) more in add-ons.
In total, their package could come to €110million (£97.5million), which surpasses the nine-figure barrier in euros that Shakhtar were holding out for.