Chelsea unveil new yellow 2021-22 away strip – and fans claim it's a ploy to sign Erling Haaland

Chelsea have returned to a more traditional yellow change strip after revealing their new away kit for the 2021-22 season, but fans have spotted an ulterior motive for the change in colour.

Stars including Antonio Rudiger and N’Golo Kante helped model the new design which sees the Blues release just their third yellow kit in over a decade.

The yellow design features black pinstripe hoops across the kit and according to the west London side, are a nod to the past in the form of the stripes. While the black trim colour ‘is representative of a new era of youthful energy taking over the club’.

Antonio Rudiger (left) and N’Golo Kante show off Chelsea’s away kit for the 2021-22 season

The strip sees a return to a traditional yellow, with the pin stripes a nod to kits from the mid 1980s – as worn above be Mickey Thomas in 1983

The yellow shirt will be paired with black shorts and yellow socks with a black stripe.

Chelsea won the Europa League in the 2018-19 season, the last campaign they wore a yellow kit, while yellow was also a change colour when they won the Premier League title in the 2014-15 season.

Midfielder Mason Mount claimed the yellow kit reminded him of past glories.

‘When you look over the years, you always remember the yellow kits on our heroes that made an impact’, he told Chelsea’s website. ‘As players I feel we can do the same and create even more special moments in this new kit!’ 

The yellow closely resembles kits of the past, including a strip from the 2001-02 campaign worn by William Gallas (left)

Chelsea wore a yellow away strip in the 2014-15 season when they won the Premier League

However, supporters were quick to notice similarities between the yellow design and that of the Borussia Dortmund home colours worn by Blues transfer target Erling Haaland.

The £150million valued striker has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge this summer and fans responded on social media of how the new colours could help convince the Norway international to move to the European champions.  

One fan claimed: ‘Haaland won’t know the difference. Sign him up.’, while another echoed a similar sentiment, saying: ‘Helping Haaland feel at home. Smart’.

Not all supporters were impressed though, claiming the pin striped hoops would ruin the look of the kit.

Supporters though noticed the strip matched the colours worn by transfer target Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund

A supporter said: ‘If those lines weren’t there, Haaland would look so good in that away kit.’

Chelsea’s pursuit of Haaland comes in part off the back of a disappointing campaign for leading striker Timo Werner, who failed to find his best form after a £53million move from RB Leipzig last summer.

Despite helping the Blues win the Champions League, there are still doubts over his ability to lead Thomas Tuchel’s attack and one fan suggested that the yellow kit has been designed so that the forward could just look like Haaland.

In response to Chelsea’s kit unveiling, they said: ‘Are you packing Werner in yellow so he looks like Haaland????’

The £150million valued striker is pictured training with the German side during pre-season

Despite Chelsea’s reported links with Haaland, Borussia Dortmund are prepared to dig their heels in over keeping the striker who scored 41 goals in as many games last season.

Quizzed whether he will still be at the club after August 31, former Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl who is expected to take over as chief executive next year, simply said: ‘Yes.’ 

Haaland himself has quashed talk of a move to Chelsea this summer, insisting he is happy in Germany with three years remaining on his deal.