Chelsea are reportedly preparing a bid for Lyon's €40m-rated Rayan Cherki, as they look to fill the void left by Christian Pulisic.
According to ESPN,the French player has been on Chelsea's radar for some time, and he is one of their primary targets as they look to secure a replacement for Pulisic, who is nearing a move to AC Milan. Cherki, born in Lyon and a product of the club's youth system, is currently contracted to the French side until June 2025.
Lyon had previously rejected an offer from Paris Saint-Germain for Cherki in January. However, financial constraints faced by the club and their need to comply with France's financial fair play regulations might prompt them to consider selling players to fund summer signings.
Equally adept with both feet, Cherki can operate in various attacking positions, including winger, second striker, No. 10, and even false 9. His recent performances with the French national team at the UEFA Under-21 European Championship caught the attention of Chelsea scouts, despite France's disappointing quarter-final exit to Ukraine.
Malo Gusto's move to Stamford Bridge in January helped Chelsea and Lyon build a cordial relationship. This connection could potentially facilitate negotiations between the two clubs for the acquisition of Cherki.
Chelsea's transfer spree continues as they look to reshape their squad under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino. They have been linked with a move for Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic and are also keen on Brighton's Moises Caicedo in midfield. However, their interest in Cherki, who boasted four goals and six assists in 21 starts in Ligue 1 in the 2022-23 campaign, indicates that it might be another long summer at Stamford Bridge as they look to build a formidable squad to establish themselves as title contenders once again.
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