Chelsea are holding advanced talks with Montpellier for their striker Elye Wahi, as they plan to loan the 20-year-old after signing him.
Fabrizio Romano reported Chelsea were advancing in talks to sign Elye Wahi. The Montpellier forward has attracted the attention of many top Premier League sides, but the Blues have progressed in negotiations, as they plan to loan the 20-year-old out next season.
One thing has become clear, Chelsea are operating on two different agendas. The first one points at strengthening their first team, which seems like a long process, while the second is to aggressively sign players for the future.
In the past 12 months, Chelsea, under the new ownership of Todd Boehly, have been aggressive in the market to sign young players. They have brought in players from many different leagues and continents as they progress in their plans to build a solid foundation for the future.
Elye Wahi becomes the latest on that coveted list of youngsters. The 20-year-old will ideally regard himself as a proper starter at any top club following a stellar season with Montpellier, but he may open his doors to new ideas.
Understand Chelsea are now advancing in talks to sign Elye Wahi — agreement getting closer, new negotiations round scheduled with Montpellier 🔵🇫🇷
Chelsea plan includes loan move for Wahi this season then #CFC future.
Chelsea want to accelerate next week as there’s competition. pic.twitter.com/x8M1AV3iL1
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 23, 2023
Chelsea want to sign the 20-year-old in this window and loan him somewhere to play regular football. They might offer him a long-term deal to protect their interest and then keep close tabs on his development elsewhere.
As things stand, Chelsea are advancing in their talks with Montpellier, as they might look to agree on a fee soon. The French side will certainly ask for a substantial fee considering their 19-goal striker still has two years left on his deal.
They have taken up a similar approach with many of their existing stars, as those players could leave on loan before the window shuts. David Datro Fofana, Andre Santos and Angelo Gabriel are examples of that, and Elye Wahi could soon follow if he signs for Chelsea.
Chelsea have been interested in Wahi after the forward had a wonderful season in Ligue 1. Scoring 19 goals in a top-five league will warrant a huge reputation, but Wahi may want to bide his time before making a mark at Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal and Newcastle United are also among the sides keeping tabs on Wahi, but Chelsea may appear to have stolen the march. The Gunners will only move for another striker if they sell Folarin Balogun, while the Magpies don’t particularly need one in this window.
Chelsea are also looking at Japanese youngster Keisuke Goto to come in and then leave on loan. The club are planning their future rather intricately and will continue to add exciting young talents to their stable for future teams.
