Chelsea have moved quickly to secure an agreement with Norwegian side Molde for their striker David Fofana ahead of the January window.
According to AS, Chelsea agreed on a deal with Molde for striker David Fofana, who is earmarked to replace the injured Armando Broja in the squad. Despite being linked with many high-profile options, the Blues have decided to go with the prolific Ivorian forward. The deal is likely to cost over €10 million.
Chelsea have moved quickly to resolve an immediate problem within their squad by moving for 19-year-old striker David Fofana. The 19-year-old likened to Didier Drogba, is a prolific frontman for Norwegian side Molde and is now set to arrive at Stamford Bridge once formalities are completed.
Fofana’s numbers are astonishing for a 19-year-old, with 21 goals and 7 assists in 37 games across all competitions for Molde this season. According to Fabrizio Romano, other clubs were chasing him, but Chelsea moved quickly to thrash out a deal with the Norwegian side.
The media is likening him to former striker Drogba for being Ivorian and his prolific numbers, but Fofana could prove a different player once he gets in his groove. But, first, he will wait to sign all the paperwork on a deal worth more than €10 million.
Exclusive: Chelsea are on the verge of signing David Datro Fofana, here we go soon! There’s full agreement in place with Molde to sign Ivorian striker born in 2002. 🚨🔵 #CFC
Personal terms are still being discussed with player — then deal will be signed for more than €10m fee. pic.twitter.com/LA6u4vZyPc
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 15, 2022
Fofana has a contract until 2024, which may have compelled Molde to cash in before the January window. Chelsea themselves may not have entered the market for a new striker but were forced to after the diagnosis of Armando Broja’s knee injury.
The Albanian striker will miss the remainder of the season, and with that, Chelsea lost squad depth in the forward department. However, Graham Potter is not entirely convinced with the qualities of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Kai Havertz to lead the line on their own for months, so signing someone like Fofana was crucial.
In hindsight, Fofana may have come out of the blue considering Chelsea remains linked with several high-profile names. Those include Dusan Vlahovic after the Juventus star’s future was cast in considerable doubt only a year after joining the Turin giants.
Reports of contacts with Youssoufa Moukoko also emerged, but with Fofana, Chelsea may close the book on a new striker for January. It will be an excellent opportunity for the Ivorian to seek relevance in the team with Aubameyang and Havertz misfiring.
Chelsea may have taken a gamble on a 19-year-old based on his reputation in the Norwegian league. While the quality in the Premier League has many layers, Fofana should take it up as a challenge to cement his name as one of the promising youngsters around the continent.
