Chelsea transfers: £43m Mount replacement ‘pushing’ to follow teammate to Stamford Bridge after ‘talks’

Will Ford
Lyon star Rayan Cherki controls the ball with his chest.
Lyon's Rayan Cherki is one of the hottest young talents in Ligue 1.

Lyon star Rayan Cherki is reportedly ‘pushing’ to follow former teammate Malo Gusto to Chelsea this summer.

The Blues agreed a £28m deal for right-back Gusto in January before loaning him back to Lyon for the remainder of the 2022/23 season.

TEAMtalk claim the two clubs have a ‘good relationship’ having concluded that deal for Gusto and they have now held ‘talks’ over a move for Cherki.

A report earlier this month claimed the 19-year-old had emerged as one of three targets, along with Gabri Veiga and Florian Wirtz as potential replacements for Mason Mount, who’s joined Manchester United for £55m.

Chelsea are making progress in a deal to bring Moises Caicedo to the club from Brighton this summer, and for a long time it was thought a defensive midfielder to play alongside Enzo Fernandez would be the only midfield addition.

But a report at the end of June claimed ‘internal discussions about a replacement for Mount’ have taken place with ‘the success of their clear-out of unwanted players meaning Chelsea are also increasingly open to signing a more attacking midfielder’.

TEAMtalk now claim Cherki ‘could be favoured ahead’ of other options and the teenager is said to be ‘pushing’ for a move to Stamford Bridge and a reunion with Gusto.

In January, then-Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas publicly hit out Paris Saint-Germain for making what he deemed to be an “insulting” offer for Cherki.

“I had a long time with Nasser [Al-Khelaifi], who called me on Saturday evening, to find out whether or not we were in negotiations for Rayan Cherki,” Aulas told French outlet RMC Sport.

“I told him no, and Nasser told me, ‘okay, it’s over’, and he added that PSG would therefore not make a new offer. I thank him for this direct and sincere contact. We did not enter into negotiations, but the level of the offer was insulting.”

It’s not clear what that “insulting” offer was but it’s thought Chelsea may be able to get the deal done for around £43m this summer.

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