Chelsea are set to face fresh competition from Brighton & Hove Albion in the race to sign Arsenal whizkid Khayon Edwards.
According to a report from Mirror, Brighton & Hove Albion have emerged as the latest club to have expressed interest in Khayon Edwards. The young Arsenal striker has become one of the most in-demand youth players in England, with multiple clubs looking to prise him away from Emirates in the summer.
Chelsea have been primarily linked with a move for Edwards due to his rapid rise to prominence. But it appears they are set to face stiff competition from Brighton, who have launched an enquiry, exploring the possibility of signing the youth player after the end of the season.
A centre-forward by trade, Edwards has been on fire this season, scoring 16 goals in 16 appearances in the U18 Premier League. He has made a solid impression with his goalscoring prowess, coupled with his positioning sense and maturity.
The 18-year-old’s qualities in the final third have already earned him a couple of appearances for Arsenal’s Under-23 outfit, with many expecting the youngster to make the jump to the Premier League next season.
Chelsea’s interest in Khayon Edwards stems from the club’s desperate need to build a new core in the goalscoring department. The Blues have been unlucky with the acquisitions of Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku, with both the strikers likely to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season.
Brighton, however, are fancying their chances of beating Chelsea in the contest due to their reputation for nurturing young players. In recent years, the Seagulls have developed young players such as Tariq Lamptey, Ben White and Yves Bissouma, and there is no reason why Edwards cannot be next on the list.
Both Brighton and Chelsea, though, can expect stiff resistance from Arsenal in their quest to sign Edwards. Having lost Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January, the Gunners will be desperate not to part ways with any new strikers in the summer, especially with Alexandre Lacazette also being linked with a return to Olympique Lyon.
Arsenal are in a position to offer Edwards a place in the senior side next season owing to the club’s lack of depth in the goalscoring unit. This might play into the hands of the north London giants, although it will be interesting to see whether the opportunity of playing for Brighton or Chelsea appears to be a bit more attractive prospect for the player next season.
