Chelsea are reportedly focusing their efforts in January on strengthening other areas which could put off their pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni till the summer.
According to Goal.com, Chelsea are prepared to put off their chase for key midfield targets such as Aurelien Tchouameni and maybe pursue those in the summer. The Blues were prepared to make a central midfield signing in January, but they will now focus on solving their wing-back issues.
Chelsea have found themselves in a tricky position heading into the January transfer window. After leading the Premier League table for a significant period this season, the Blues have slipped massively below Manchester City amid a minor injury and COVID-19 crisis.
The main issue for Thomas Tuchel has been the injuries to Ben Chilwell and Reece James, as the Chelsea boss considers wing-backs duo integral to his system. Without them, Chelsea have lacked impetus in attack, severely impacting their lethal potential in the final third.
Due to the absence of Chilwell and James, Chelsea have decided to solve those issues first by either bringing in new wing-backs or even recalling some of their on-loan stars, such as Emerson Palmieri. The current Lyon left-back might prove tricky to be called back, in which case the Blues are prepared to sign Lucas Digne from Everton as a secondary option.
They are also linked with Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico as the next option to solve their problems. If they can resolve this now, they might look into other aspects of the squad in the transfer market, such as signing a midfielder and central defender.
Aurelien Tchouameni, one of the brightest prospects in French football, has been linked with a big move away from Monaco since last summer. The 21-year-old French international has been on the radars of top clubs such as Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Chelsea.
Chelsea were expected to make a move for the highly-rated midfielder in January, but they might wait until the summer to do so. The Blues are reportedly carrying out detailed scouting on the Frenchman, including taking a look into his personal life and overall off-field behaviour.
The Blues want to make sure they are getting the right player character, although they face intense competition from Real Madrid, who are thought to be the preferred destination for Tchouameni when it comes to choosing between the two sides.
For the time being, Chelsea putting off their pursuit does not indicate they are bowing out of the race. They want the 21-year-old French midfielder and might only make a concrete proposal next summer.
