Chelsea are in talks with Montpellier for Elye Wahi, with a bid likely to arrive as Mauricio Pochettino continues to look for a new striker.
According to L’Equipe, Elye Wahi is a target for Chelsea as he features on their striker shortlist. Mauricio Pochettino wants a new forward after the arrival of Nicolas Jackson, as they have opened talks with Montpellier for the €30 million-rated French striker.
Chelsea have plenty of work pending in the transfer window after making several sales in the opening phase. The West London outfit culled their squad and sold some of their unwanted stars for decent money.
Offloading Kai Havertz and Mason Mount has fetched them the most fees, but many other players have left. The club may focus on strengthening their squad ahead of the new season as Mauricio Pochettino gears up for pre-season.
One of their key requirement is that of a new striker. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is not good enough for them and likely to move on, while Romelu Lukaku remains keen to rejoin Inter Milan. They do have Armando Broja and recent arrival Nicolas Jackson. But those two cannot lead the line sufficiently for an entire season.
There are links to top players like Dusan Vlahovic. But the Serbian international will cost money for Cheslea’s liking. There is a cautious approach to finances at Stamford Bridge, which may influence their targets.
With a striker at the forefront of their plans, there are these fresh links to Elye Wahi. The French striker had a wonderful season in Ligue 1, scoring 19 times for Montpellier. With those numbers, he is one of the forwards many top teams are enquiring about, including Arsenal, who are showing an interest.
Similarly, Chelsea were recently linked with Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun, who had a slightly better season in Ligue 1 than Wahi. The cost of signing the USMNT striker may have made the Blues think about Montpellier’s €30 million-rated French striker.
The two clubs have reportedly engaged in talks, and a bid could prove the likely outcome of those discussions. Wahi is ready to leave Montpellier for a bigger challenge and may see the project brewing at Chelsea as a good move. And at €30 million, he might be a solid investment.
With two years left on his deal, Montpellier could demand a significant sum in return, which Chelsea might look to pay. There are talks for now, but soon things could be clearer about how serious their interest is in the 20-year-old.
