$35 million offer rejected! Manchester United among 4 teams competing for Belgian Golden Boot winner, who scored against Barcelona and Atletico Madrid

Club Brugge will not be able to prepare for the season calmly this summer, as their top striker has been targeted.

According to Belgian authoritative media Het Laatste Nieuws, Chelsea has joined the race for Brugge's star striker Tressor. Manchester United had already placed this 21-year-old German-Italian center forward on their long-term evaluation list. Roma even made a direct offer of €35 million, which was flatly rejected by Brugge. Additionally, Dortmund is closely monitoring the situation.

How can a young striker who has only played in the 2. Bundesliga and the Belgian Pro League attract such fierce competition from four top-five league clubs?

Tressor is about to turn 22. His father is a former Italian professional player who played for Atalanta. He holds triple citizenship of Germany, Italy, and Argentina, and has long represented Germany's U21 national team.

In the summer of 2025, Brugge spent only €7.5 million to sign him from Hannover 96. One year later, that figure has nearly quintupled!

Last season, he made 57 appearances for Brugge across all competitions (38 starts), scoring 23 goals and providing 9 assists. In the league, he had 40 appearances (29 starts), with 19 goals and 5 assists, winning the league's Golden Boot.

What truly caught the attention of top clubs was his Champions League performance. In 10 UCL matches, he scored 3 goals—not a high rate, but he found the net against Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Monaco. For a 21-year-old to score against La Liga giants in the Champions League, such composure under pressure is rare.

Tressor's technical characteristics are clear: at 183cm, he is agile in movement, has a keen eye for goal, excels at poaching in the box, and is comfortable with both feet. He can hold up play with his back to goal and also has vertical sprint speed. He is active in pressing upfront, suitable for high-pressing systems, and can also play on the wings. Of course, he has weaknesses: mediocre dribbling in tight spaces, long-range shooting needs improvement, and he hasn't proven himself in a top-five league yet.

Roma's €35 million offer is not low in the market. It is significantly higher than Tressor's current market value of €25 million. But Brugge didn't hesitate and rejected it outright. The reason is simple: they know Tressor is a growth stock with potential for appreciation, so they won't sell for just €35 million.

According to HLN, Brugge had already made it clear at the start of the summer window that Tressor will not leave this summer. This decision was made jointly by the club's senior management shortly after the team won the league title.

Het Laatste Nieuws goes further: he will not be sold this summer "for any price." It is reported that Tressor promised the club during the off-season to stay at least one more season, and Brugge is committed to honoring that promise.

Moreover, Brugge is under no financial pressure to sell. They won the Belgian Pro League title last season, their 19th in history. Tressor's contract runs until 2029, with three years remaining, so there is no urgency to sell, and no reason to be swayed by €35 million.

Why is Manchester United targeting him? Because he is a player highly recommended by their data department.

According to Manchester Evening News reporter Steven Railston, Manchester United is monitoring Tressor, and his attributes are exactly what the club's data department values. United's new transfer strategy is centered on identifying market value, signing players before their value skyrockets to £100 million. Brugge's Tier 0 reporter Tomas Taecke revealed that the United technical team believes "if they don't buy this summer, the next time might be astronomical."

A player bought for €7.5 million whose value nearly quintupled in a year? Of course the data department loves it. Zirkzee's record of 9 goals in 75 games is there, and Manchester United needs a striker who can consistently score besides Sesko. Tressor's resume of Belgian Golden Boot plus goals in tough Champions League matches has impressed United.

According to Taecke's analysis, to convince Brugge to let him go, the final transfer fee could be around €50 million.

Why is Chelsea also in the race? Manager Xavi Alonso's striker options include: João Pedro (24), Delap (23), Guiu (20), Jackson (25), Emega (23), and the 35-year-old veteran Welbeck is about to join.

The striker position is already overcrowded, so why pursue Tressor?

Chelsea's transfer logic is related to Alonso's tactics. According to analysis, Alonso wants a forward with excellent movement who can press the defense, and Tressor's pressing intensity fits that requirement. Additionally, although Chelsea has many forwards, few can consistently deliver. Tressor's resume of Belgian Golden Boot and goals in tough UCL matches is more convincing than the current youngsters.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, Chelsea has not yet initiated formal negotiations; they seem to be waiting to see if Manchester United, Roma, or Dortmund make a move first, then decide whether to follow.

Transfer market history repeatedly proves that there are no truly untouchable players. Brugge says "not for €35 million," but what if the offer rises to €40 million or €45 million? United's data department thinks "the next time will be astronomical," which itself implies they are willing to pay a premium for buying now.

Tressor's future has become the focus of this summer's transfer market. Roma, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Dortmund—who will be the first to make an offer that makes Brugge waver? Whoever does will take away this Belgian Golden Boot winner. Let's wait and see.