Chelsea ‘launch first transfer bid for Malo Gusto after Lyon full-back agrees personal terms’
MALO GUSTO has “agreed personal terms” as Chelsea launch their first bid for the Lyon right-back.
The Blues have switched attention from Denzel Dumfries to the France under-21 star as they struggle to bolster their options out wide in defence.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea are now in “direct contact with Lyon” over the 19-year-old.
And Gusto is said to be happy with the details of the long-term contract on offer at Stamford Bridge.
So the Blues have a week left to agree a fee with the Ligue 1 giants.
Gusto would surely be an easier and cheaper option to recruit than Dumfries.
Inter Milan’s Holland ace has also been linked with Manchester United and could cost around £53million.
Blues’ boss Graham Potter has splashed nearly £400m since the summer.
But Chelsea‘s England full-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell have only recently returned to training after serious injury.
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And in their absence players like Trevoh Chalobah, Cesar Azpilicueta and Conor Gallagher have failed to fully convince.
It means Potter could pounce in the final week of the transfer window, having already made six January signings for £189m in total.
Joao Felix on loan, plus Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana, Andrey Santos and Noni Madueke have come in so far.
Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has promised to keep backing Potter over his under-achieving players.
And it’s possible the Blues’ spending over two transfer windows could end up close to £500m by the end of the month.
On top of that, Felix’s £10m loan move from Atletico Madrid could become permanent in the summer after a clause in his deal was removed.