As per the latest transfer news, Chelsea plan to sign Strasbourg winger Gessime Yassine. Six rivals are watching, but timing remains undecided.
Why Chelsea rate Gessime Yassine
As reported by the TEAMtalk, Chelsea and BlueCo are pleased with how Yassine has developed at Strasbourg since January. The winger arrived from Dunkerque for around €7 million (about £6 million) and has since become a regular starter. Morocco took him to the World Cup, where he became the youngest Moroccan to score at the tournament, in the 4-2 win over Haiti. Chelsea’s admiration for Gessime Yassine first emerged in September and has only strengthened as the season has gone on. He can play on either flank and has two goals and one assist in six Ligue 1 appearances this season.
Six other Premier League clubs are understood to be tracking him, Brighton, Newcastle United, Sunderland, Brentford, Everton and Nottingham Forest. Chelsea’s advantage is structural as BlueCo owns both Chelsea and Strasbourg, so the club can follow his fitness and form every week before spending, while rivals rely on outside scouting. Yassine is understood to be comfortable with that path.
Yassine’s 2026 stats for Strasbourg so far, as per FOTMOB:
Competition Matches Goals Assists Chances created Defensive contributions
Ligue 1 7 2 2 8 26
How the BlueCo pathway works
The pathway through Strasbourg carries risks, because the fees are large and players do not always make an immediate impact. Five players moved between the two clubs this summer, including Valentin Barco and Emanuel Emegha, who joined Chelsea for a combined $75 million. Yassine’s route is different, he rose from the French fifth tier before Demba Ba brought him to Dunkerque. That rise suggests a player who has handled each step up so far, which supports the club’s patient approach.
On the pitch, Yassine offers pace and dribbling that help him beat defenders on either wing. His brace against Lens in August showed how he can hurt a back line, and he led Ligue 1 in successful dribbles after five rounds. At Chelsea, competition for wide places is strong, so his final ball and work rate must stand out. Three goal involvements this season is a small sample, so patience is sensible.
Will Yassine join Chelsea in 2027?
The key question is timing, because Chelsea have not said whether Yassine will arrive in 2027 or later. With the club well stocked in wide attacking areas, an early move would add depth rather than fill a gap. Strasbourg signed him on a four-and-a-half-year contract, so nobody is under pressure to act, and he turns 21 next month, so he would still be a young signing in 2027. Another season of Ligue 1 football would show whether his form lasts before any big fee is paid. Waiting has a cost, though, a strong season could push his price well above the €7 million Strasbourg paid.
Rival clubs may still test the market. Brighton and Newcastle could offer earlier starts, which might tempt a winger keen to play every week. Christophe Lollichon, Dunkerque’s goalkeeping coach and a former Chelsea staff member, told Ouest-France that Yassine is “practically at Chelsea”. No deal has been confirmed, and such remarks are not binding, but they show how openly the move is discussed in France. Matches against the stronger Ligue 1 sides will show whether his dribbling holds up against tighter defences.
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