Chelsea are close to agreeing a deal for Senegal u17 International midfielder Pape Daouda Diong from AF Darou Salam, as per Fabrizio Romano.
The 17-year-old was pictured with Chelsea’s owner, Behdad Eghbali, during Chelsea’s win over Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night alongside Kendry Páez.
Diong was a pivotal member of Senegal’s u17 squad during the just concluded u17 World Cup and emerged as one of the best midfielders and top performers in the tournament.
The youngster is a regular for AF Darou Salam in his native country Senegal, and while Romano reports that a deal for the midfielder is almost done, he will only be eligible to play for Chelsea next summer when he officially turns 18.
According to a report from TeamTalk, Chelsea’s scouts believe they have recouped one of the brightest talents in Africa and Dieng has already agreed terms for a deal to go through in June 2024 when he turns 18.
Chelsea set for another spending spree
Todd Boehly’s era at Stamford Bridge alongside Behdad Eghbali has seen significant investment, surpassing £1bn on multiple high-profile arrivals. Notably, a staggering £279.7m has been spent on central midfielders, including Enzo Fernandez (£106.7m), Moises Caicedo (£115m), and Romeo Lavia (£58m).
Alongside these marquee signings, the American owner has demonstrated a penchant for investing in promising young talents such as Gabriel Slonina, Cesare Casadei, Andrey Santos, Gabriel Angelo, Deivid Washington, Dujuan Richards and Ishe Samuels-Smith, highlighting Chelsea’s commitment to nurturing future stars.
As the January transfer window approaches, Todd Boehly has initiated early moves for another acquisition, closing in on the signing of Diong – who is another talented young prospect.
Although not much is known about him, if his performance for Senegal at the U17 World Cup is anything to go by, then Dieng is definitely a rising star. The 17-year-old was a regular presence for The Young Lions of Teranga, using his towering frame to shield the defence while being effectively proficient on the ball.
While Diong possesses immense qualities to succeed at an elite level, it remains to be seen if he will get the chance at Stamford Bridge as the likes of Caicedo, Lavia, Connor Gallagher, and Lesley Ugochukwu are ahead of him in the pecking order.
