Chelsea plot swoop for £40m West Ham target after Olise rejection; seven-goal Lyon star also eyed
Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus celebrates a goal
Chelsea are considering a move for Ajax attacker Mohammed Kudus after missing out on Michael Olise, according to reports.
The Blues were thought to be on the verge of agreeing a deal for Olise but in a late twist, he penned a four-year contract extension with Crystal Palace.
As a result, Mauricio Pochettino is currently scouring the market for alternatives and now, Chelsea could hijack West Ham’s approach for Kudus.
As previously reported by TEAMtalk, West Ham want Kudus to replace Lucas Paqueta, who is heavily linked with a move to Manchester City.
The Ghana international enjoyed a fantastic 2022/23 season with Ajax, scoring 18 goals and making seven assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.
Kudus is thought to be keen on a move to the Premier League. He was heavily linked with a move to Everton last summer, while Brighton also agreed a fee with Ajax, but he decided against joining the Seagulls.
Now, according to journalist Ryan Taylor, the ‘threat’ of Chelsea ‘hijacking’ West Ham’s move for Kudus has ‘intensified’ after they missed out on signing Olise.
Kudus is definitely a player for Chelsea fans to keep an eye out for over the next few days.
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Chelsea consider move for Lyon star
Kudus isn’t the only player Chelsea are considering as an alternative to Olise, though.
According to French journalist Fabrice Hawkins, Lyon winger Bradley Barcola is another potential option for the Blues.
On Twitter, he wrote: “Chelsea have accelerated on Bradley Barcola in recent hours.
“He is well placed in the Blues’ shortlist after the failure of Michael Olise. PSG [are also in the race] and Lyon half-opened the door but refused an offer of €35m (approx. £29.8m) with bonuses. The player has not given a final agreement [to joining PSG].
Barcola is widely considered to be one of Ligue 1’s top talents and it’s no surprise to see clubs like Chelsea and PSG battling to sign him.
The 20-year-old broke into the Lyon first team in 2021-22. He has since made 45 appearances for the French giants, scoring seven times and making 12 assists.
Barcola has the ability to play as a winger on either flank or as a centre-forward, so could provide cover in several positions for Chelsea this season.
Chelsea will need to make a bid in excess of £30m to get a deal over the line for the talented attacker, and may have to do so quickly to beat PSG to his signature.
