Chelsea’s spending spree continues following the signing of Malo Gusto from Lyon for £30.7m however he will spend the rest of the season on loan at the Ligue 1 side.
The Blues have beaten off competition from several clubs to land the highly-rated teenager. Gusto has penned a seven-year deal with the club and will join the rest of his teammates at the end of the season, as confirmed on Chelseafc.com.
The transfer fee according to Lyon, includes £4.4m in add-ons and is another significant piece of investment from Chelsea owner Todd Boehly. The American businessman spent a Premier League record £270m last summer and has continued to splash the cash this month by bankrolling another seven new signings.
January signings such Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, David Fofana and Andrey Santos are expected to play a key role in helping the club compete with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona and others for trophies in the coming seasons.
Gusto is expected to provide competition to first choice right-back Reece James – who has struggled for fitness this season due to an injury he picked up prior to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Long-serving skipper César Azpilicueta is past his best and this season is clear evidence as he has struggled to make a meaningful impact at the club – who languish at the 10th position in the Premier League.
Providing depth
Gusto is seen as one of the emerging right-backs in the world following his inspired displays for Lyon this season, racking up 15 appearances for the Ligue 1 side.
Since making his debut for Lyon in January 2021, the 19-year-old has become a favourite and his loss will be hugely felt by the club who said they regret not keeping one of their prized asset.
“Olympique Lyonnais regrets not having been able to keep one of its great hopes trained at the Academy but remains however happy to be able to count on him during this second part of the season,” a club statement reads.
Chelsea are still in the market for at least one more signing with Potter reportedly on the look out for a central midfielder. We’ll have to wait and see if they can get another signing through the door before the window closes on Tuesday night.
