After scoring ten times in 18 appearances for Lyon, the French club have decided to keep their prized asset, Moussa Dembele, by rejecting an offer of €40m from English side Chelsea.
Dembele scored 23 goals in 52 games for Lyon last season and has been in superb form this season prompting Manchester United and Frank Lampard’s side to want to take him to Premier League this month. And according to Foot Mercato, Chelsea have made the first move for the 23-year-old.
Though Lyon would be making a sizeable profit on the man they bought for €22m in August 2018, injuries to forward pair Memphies Depay and Jeff Reine-Adelaide will make it difficult to prise him away from Groupama Stadium this month.
Nevertheless, it’s claimed the Blues are set to return with an improved offer, and may look to include out-of-favour striker Olivier Giroud, which would certainly make the deal more intriguing from Lyon’s perspective.
Dembele is allegedly open to the idea of joining Frank Lampard’s side in January, aiding Chelsea’s cause. Furthermore, Giroud would likely be pleased with a switch back to his native France, where he will no doubt receive more game time. The Frenchman has featured in only seven matches for the Stamford Bridge outfit this campaign, scoring just once.
With the European Championships coming up this summer, regular minutes will be a top priority for the target man. Ultimately, this transfer will come down to whether Chelsea are willing to meet Lyon’s valuation of Dembele. Given a transfer embargo meant the Blues were unable to sign any players over the off-season, they should be more than happy to pay slightly over the odds.
Another striker is essential for Lampard’s recruits as they aim to secure their place in next season’s Champions League, with Tammy Abraham now appearing tired, having led the frontline for much of the campaign. Chelsea couldn’t bring anyone in to support the youngster, but they have now been freed up by the shortening of their embargo.
