Chelsea have agreed a deal with Lyon to sign right-back Malo Gusto, though he will remain with the French club for the rest of the season.
Chelsea were keen to bring in a right-back alternative to Reece James and identified 19 year-old France under-21 international defender Gusto.
The Blues were met with initial resistance to their interest from Lyon with president Jean-Michel Aulas publicly declaring Gusto ‘will continue to play’ for Lyon until the end of the season.
Manager Laurent Blanc added on Friday 'the board have guaranteed to me that (Rayan) Cherki and Malo Gusto will be here until the end of the season.’
Though a compromise has now been reached with a deal worth around £26m struck between the two clubs, clearing Gusto to travel to England for a medical having already agreed personal terms, though he will be loaned back to Lyon and not join Chelsea’s squad permanently until the summer.
He will join Christopher Nkunku as a pre-agreed summer arrival after Chelsea also finalised a £53m deal to sign the France forward from RB Leipzig.
Gusto will be Chelsea’s seventh signing of this window including the loan capture of Joao Felix.
There remains the possibility of an eighth with central midfield another department Chelsea are keen to strengthen.
They have so far been frustrated in their attempts this month to land the likes of Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez, Brighton’s Moises Caicedo and Everton’s Amadou Onana.
Meanwhile, Chelsea midfielder Cesare Casadei, their £12m summer signing from Inter Milan, is to join Reading on loan after this weekend.
malablata
488
Let the signing continue, the list is still long and the sugar daddy have more money. After Malo, then Palo, Halo, Salo and even Jalo should follow.....in the end Chelsea still in 10th position....😝😝😝😝
Theokoko
348
I will always say this, Chelsea don't need this guy, we need quality, we need Dumfries, we need a quality coach and quality doctors as well and finally we need to pray Kante comes back sooner rather than later. Potter needs to find a mid-table team to work with. we need Tuchel-like coach, some one like Pochettino, this coach is technically zero and Chelsea ain't like that, we are born to see us move forward, we struggle yes but with hope inour games, in the way we played football. so pls let's have potter out and progress from there. thank you I rest my case.
KINGofLONDON
220
Even If we did not win any other trophy 🏆 this season, we've already won most club spender of the season.
joeejyk
202
EPL are not ready come 2023/2924 season
CashErra10
195
Graham Potter, addressing the Chelsea squad at Cobham on 1st February.
Umeakpa
84
With this new owner, the chelsea future is looking bright