Chelsea have the chance to freshen up their ranks over the next couple of months
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca is preparing for his second season in charge. He was lured to Stamford Bridge just over 12 months ago. Prior to his move to London, the former Manchester City coach guided Leicester City to the Championship title.
Maresca has since got the Blues into the Champions League and won the Europa Conference League. His team have delved into the market this summer to snap up highly-rated striker Liam Delap from Ipswich Town. They have the chance to bring in additional signings over the next couple of months before the end of the window.
Chelsea target Malick Fofana
Chelsea are interested in a move for Lyon winger Malick Fofana, according to the Independent. The report adds that Liverpool, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Fulham are keen on the player, as well as RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Napoli. Therefore, there will be a lot of competition for his signature.
Fofana, 20, could be seen by the Blues as someone to bolster their attacking department. He is young, has bags of potential and would be a useful long-term addition if they managed to see off attention from elsewhere and secure his signature. In addition, he would provide more competition and depth for places going forward.
The youngster would fit the bill for Chelsea as their general transfer policy over recent times has been to sign promising talents and develop them. He has been on the books at Lyon since 2024 and has become one of their most valuable assets. They face a real battle to keep hold of him and it seems inevitable that he will leave for a new challenge somewhere else.
Fofana rose up through the academy ranks at Gent and was a regular for them at various different youth levels. He broke into their first-team as a teenager and made 64 appearances in all competitions, chipping in with five goals. That earned him a transfer to Lyon a couple of years ago and he has since found the net on 15 occasions in 62 outings, 11 of which came in the last campaign.
Chelsea should use Raheem Sterling in swap deal
Chelsea have a giant squad and should look to offload some individuals before bringing in further acquisitions. According to Football Insider, they are willing to take a hit on Raheem Sterling and allow him to leave at a loss. He has fallen out of favour and is surplus to requirements.
Regardless of where he goes next, the former England international is likely to have to take a pay cut, unless he moves to Saudi Arabia. In an attempt to secure the services of Fofana, the Blues should offer Lyon the opportunity to bring in Sterling as part of a swap deal plus cash offer. Although the French side will be operating in Ligue 2 next term, they are still an attractive team to play for.
Landing Sterling in the second tier would be a huge statement of intent. It would show that they mean business and are eyeing an immediate promotion back to Ligue 1. In addition, they would be an exciting project to be apart of as they look to get back to the top.
Sterling, 30, finds himself at a bit of a crossroads at this moment in time. He has spent his whole career to date in England so far and must get out of his comfort zone now and test himself abroad. Someone of his calibre is expected to attract suitors from all over the world and he will be weighing up his options.
The Jamaica-born man played for both Liverpool and Manchester City before rocking up at Chelsea. He has played just under 600 games so far and has bags of experience. The attacker was loaned out to Arsenal last season but struggled to get into their starting XI under the guidance of Mikel Arteta.
Letting Sterling leave again to Lyon would suit all parties involved. The Blues would get him off their books which would help free up space and funds for Fofana. Meanwhile, Lyon would be receiving a player who would get their fans off their seats and would be able to catapult them back to the top level as soon as possible.
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