Montpellier's French forward Elye Wahi celebrates scoring. (Photo by OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE/AFP via Getty Images)
According to French outlet Foot Mercato and transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano (h/t Football London), Chelsea are closing in on the signature of Montpellier striker Elye Wahi, who was an Arsenal target in the past few weeks.
It is revealed that despite Chelsea’s plans to buy the striker and loan him to sister club RC Strasbourg, he would have no intentions to make that move after signing for the Blues.
Progress has been made in the deal. The 20-year-old could cost something in the region of €40m for Chelsea as they aim to bolster the centre-forward department.
Wahi has played three seasons of first-team football for Montpellier now, scoring 32 goals in 84 Ligue 1 appearances. He was a youth player before graduating to become a senior squad player.
In his career so far, the 20-year-old has although predominantly been used as a centre-forward, he has operated as a winger on either side and as an attacking midfielder too.
Knowing the make-up of the Chelsea squad under Mauricio Pochettino, there is an apparent need for a striker who can score 20+ goals per season. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is off to Olympique de Marseille while Romelu Lukaku’s future remains uncertain (not that they were giving us those figures in the goal-scoring department anyway).
The club did sign Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal earlier in this window, but the Senegal international only has one year of first-team football behind him. While he can be a promising asset for the future, Chelsea need someone for the here and now.
Wahi is a dynamic young forward who can score goals, link the play up, run the channels and be a nuisance to the defenders. He can form a good partnership with the likes of Christopher Nkunku, Mykhaylo Mudryk and co.
Though the Frenchman is anyway not on board with the idea, Chelsea should sign him with the intention to play him next season and not loan him out.
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