Chelsea have reportedly tabled a verbal bid worth €25 million, including bonuses, for Elye Wahi as Mauricio Pochettino sets his sights on the Montpellier striker.
According to journalist Mohamed Toubache-Ter (via Get French Football News), Chelsea are keen on acquiring the services of France Under-21 goal-machine Elye Wahi and have submitted a verbal offer of around €25 million, which is considered to be well short of Montpellier’s valuation closer to €35 million, meaning they will have to raise their offer in order to strike an agreement.
Offre orale d’un montant de 25M€ bonus compris pr Wahi… #MHSC #ChelseaFC
— Mohamed TOUBACHE-TER (@MohamedTERParis) July 26, 2023
This comes after transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported that Chelsea were “getting closer” to signing the Frenchman earlier this week as initial talks with Montpellier progressed well. Those talks have seemingly continued to be productive, as Chelsea have now formalised their interest with a verbal bid.
Chelsea may have already brought in Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson for a combined £81.5 million earlier in the summer transfer window, but Mauricio Pochettino’s side seems keen on landing another attacking prodigy.
Wahi, who has spent his entire professional career at Montpellier so far and is under contract at Stade de la Mosson until 2025, impressed in the French top-flight last season with 19 goals and six assists across 33 games and also scored the stunning goal that won the Ligue 1 Goal of the Year award.
Despite stiff competition from London rivals Arsenal, the Blues are pressing to close a deal for the highly-rated attacker. And if an agreement can be struck with the Ligue 1 outfit in the coming days, Chelsea plan to send Wahi back on loan to Ligue 1 for the 2023/24 campaign, with sister club Strasbourg considered to be the preferred destination of choice.
Wahi is said to be apprehensive about joining Strasbourg on loan, but he is still interested in joining Chelsea as talks between the two teams continue.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has left Stamford Bridge this summer, while both Chelsea and Romelu Lukaku are eager to part ways ahead of the new season, so it makes sense for the Blues to have another pacey striker in their ranks who could potentially make his breakthrough at Stamford Bridge in a season or two.
Along with adding another forward, Pochettino is also keen to sign a new holding midfielder. Moises Caicedo is a top target, but Chelsea have yet to reach an agreement with Brighton.
They are also keeping close tabs on Southampton midfielder and Liverpool target Romeo Lavia and could push forward with yet another high-profile hijack should Caicedo’s pursuit prove unfruitful in the coming days.
