Chelsea have been keeping a close eye on a pair of talents from the French top flight that could both be on the move in January as they look to bolster Enzo Maresca’s ranks, it has been reported.
Chelsea begin Premier League season strongly
More than a quarter of the way into the Premier League season, Chelsea find themselves in fourth place and just seven points off the summit, currently being occupied by Liverpool.
It has been an impressive start to the campaign for Maresca’s side, especially in light of the upheaval the club underwent again in the transfer market and the continued noise surrounding the likes of Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka.
Spearheaded by Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, the Blues have lost just twice all season, though they were held to a 1-1 draw by a wasteful Manchester United side at Old Trafford in their most recent outing.
Having lost only to the sides above them as it stands, they will be handed yet another measure of their potential to challenge for the title in their next game as they welcome under-par Arsenal to Stamford Bridge, with a win likely to both lay down a marker for Maresca’s side and all but end any prospective title challenge from their London rivals.
But the squad is not yet complete, and there are concerns over the squad depth in attack, with Palmer and Jackson not having any natural replacements within Maresca’s ranks. Now, the Blues are looking to change that.
Chelsea send scouts to watch Ligue 1 pair
That comes as The Boot Room report that Chelsea have sent scouts to watch Ligue 1 pair Jonathan David and Rayan Cherki ahead of a potential swoop for the pair in January. Lille striker David is out of contract at the end of the season as things stand, and will be free to negotiate with any European club in January and agree a pre-contract.
However, Les Dogues would like to receive a fee for the Canadian marksman, who has continued his fine goalscoring record in France with seven goals in 10 games this season. As a result, they may be willing to accept a cut-price offer for the 24-year-old, something that Chelsea may look to take advantage of as they seek an alternative to Jackson.
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Cherki, meanwhile, was on the cusp of leaving Lyon over the summer only for a move to break down, with Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and Fulham all among the interested clubs.
Instead, the 21-year-old talent penned a new deal at Lyon, but that deal comes to an end in 2026 and a move away from the Parc Olympique Lyonnais is still likely in the near future. He has started just three Ligue 1 games since agreeing a new contract, though he has impressed in the Europa League.
Like Palmer, Cherki is able to play both on the right hand side of attack as well as centrally, and provides similar creative numbers to Chelsea’s talisman, albeit without the goals or assists to show for it.
How Cherki compares to Cole Palmer 2023/24
Cole Palmer
Rayan Cherki
Appearances
34
33
Goals/Assists
33
7
Progressive carries per 90
4.02
4.87
Shot creating actions per 90
5.57
5.55
Key passes per 90
2.47
2.2
Progressive passes per 90
6.77
7.23
Shots on target per 90
1.27
0.89
With Chelsea having spent significantly in recent seasons, the Ligue 1 pair could well provide a pair of bargains in January that could help add yet more depth to Maresca’s squad.
