Chelsea are getting ready to submit a bid for reported Arsenal striker target Elye Wahi in the coming days, according to reports coming out of France.
The Blues are still after a new no.9 despite having signed Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal this summer in a deal worth £35m, with Romelu Lukaku widely expected to depart the club permanently before the new season begins.
It was believed that they were looking for a more experienced option to lead the line for Mauricio Pochettino’s first season in charge, with the likes of Victor Osimhen, Randal Kolo-Muani and Dusan Vlahovic all having been linked with a move to the club.
According to L’Equipe, however, they have turned their focus to Wahi, who was also rumoured to be wanted by Arsenal earlier in the summer.
One of Ligue 1s breakout stars last season, the 20-year-old grabbed 19 goals and six assists for Montpellier, and though he is under contract until 2025 it is widely expected that he will depart this summer, with a price tag of around £30m on his head.
They face competition from Eintracht Frankfurt, who are also looking to sign the youngster as cover for Kolo-Muani and in preparation for his seemingly inevitable departure this summer or next.
Along with a forward, they are thought to be in the market for two midfielders, with Brighton’s Moises Caicedo their no.1 target, and they also want to sign Gabri Veiga from Celta Vigo to further bolster that area.
Wahi would be a gamble, with only two full senior seasons under his belt, but has certainly shown plenty of potential and could prove a much better option than pricier options on the market this summer.
