Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on signing 19-year-old OGC Nice prodigy Deji Sotona in the January transfer window.
According to a report by Daily Telegraph, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Deji Sotona over a possible move in the January transfer window. The 19-year-old former Manchester United winger could leave OGC Nice this winter, 18 months after arriving at the Ligue 1 club.
Deji Sotona spent much of his formative years with Manchester United, playing for the club till the under-18 level before calling it quits in September 2020. Renowned in age-group football for his electric change of pace and an eye for a goal, the teenage prodigy joined OGC Nice in the summer transfer window of 2020.
However, the transfer has not panned out as envisioned, as Sotona is yet to break into the first-team squad at the French Riviera outfit. And Patrick Vieira’s departure has left the 19-year-old disillusioned at the Ligue 1 club, which is why he is now keen on returning to the Premier League. Such a situation has alerted Chelsea and Tottenham.
Chelsea could be forced into the market for an attacking reinforcement amid the uncertainties surrounding the futures of Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic. Pulisic, in particular, seems to be edging closer to leaving the west London club, with Barcelona reportedly keen on signing him in January.
Deji Sotona has been 17 for 5 months and still hasn’t been offered a pro contact, despite training with the first team & impressing in the FA Youth Cup ❌✍️ Bundesliga clubs are circling… pic.twitter.com/hIc4hhT9Eg
— Rising Ballers (@RisingBallers_) May 9, 2020
As a result, Chelsea might need to enter the market to bolster their offensive unit this winter, with Lautaro Martinez among their targets. And Sotona is also a viable target for the Blues, as he could be given time to blossom into a world-beater before he is ready to become a regular. However, Chelsea will have to fend off competition from Tottenham in pursuit of the 19-year-old prodigy.
Tottenham’s need for a new winger is a byproduct of the inconsistencies of the supporting cast for Harry Kane and Son Heung-min. Steven Bergwijn and Lucas Moura have blown hot and cold in their respective Tottenham stints, while Bryan Gil is yet to settle in properly since arriving from Sevilla in the summer.
As a result, Spurs have recently been linked with several wide-attackers, including Lorenzo Insigne, with Sotona also an option worth considering. In addition to Chelsea and Tottenham, Sotona is also a target for Celtic, and a January transfer battle could be in the offing for the signature of the Nice prodigy. For now, what appears to be certain is that Sotona’s days at the Ligue 1 club could be numbers.
