According to TyC journalist Gaston Edul, Chelsea are leading Arsenal in the race to sign Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.
The Argentine star has been a terrific performer for Brighton this season, scoring five goals from 14 outings. The 24-year-old was also superb for his country at the World Cup. He scored in the 2-0 win over Poland in the group stage before grabbing an assist for the second goal in the final.
Mac Allister’s reputation has gone up a notch after his World Cup performances in Qatar and Edul claims that Chelsea are now leading the race to sign him ahead of Arsenal. However, they may have to wait until the summer to sign him as Brighton don’t intend to listen to any offers next month.
Quality
Mac Allister has made impressive progress in the South Coast in the past two years and it may not be long before he moves to a bigger club. He is currently valued at £37 million by Transfermarkt but knowing Brighton’s negotiations skills, they could easily demand £60 million for him.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal have already done business with Brighton with the signings of Marc Cucurella and Ben White respectively. They had to pay premium fees to sign them and it could be similar with Mac Allister, who may attract further interest between now and the end of the season.
As things stand, Chelsea are favourites to sign the Argentine. Mac Allister could be a regular starter for them next season with Jorginho and N’Golo Kante potentially leaving at the expiry of their contracts next summer. He would be a terrific signing as he is strong with his tackles, interceptions and has good distribution skills.
London counterparts Arsenal will also be aiming to sign him in the summer but it could eventually come to guaranteed playing time. In that case, Chelsea could be in a better position to land his signature as they are said to be planning a midfield overhaul ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
