Chelsea preparing offer for €40m WONDERKID as Pulisic replacement

Suraj Radia

• 12 Jul 2023 15:38 BST
• 2 min read

Chelsea are preparing to make an offer for Rayan Cherki, with the Lyon wonderkid being identified as the ideal choice to replace the outgoing Christian Pulisic.

Pulisic will become the latest player in Chelsea’s summer exodus, with the American set to join Milan for a fee in excess of €22 million, and the Blues have already begun preparations to sign his replacement.

Chelsea have watched Cherki for a number of years, having seen the 19-year-old establish himself as a first team regular for Lyon, making more than 100 appearances for the French outfit already.

PROFILE: Who is Rayan Cherki? Everything you need to know about the Lyon prodigy wanted by Chelsea

The attacking midfielder is believed to be keen on a move to Chelsea and has two years remaining on his €75,000-a-week contract with Lyon, where he is valued at around €40m.

According to ESPN, Lyon are open to a sale due to their struggles with Financial Fair Play and the Ligue 1 side have a strong relationship with Chelsea, having sold Malo Gusto to the Blues in January.

Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with Cherki, with scouts having watched the youngster in action for France at the Under 21 European Championships over the past month.

Cherki one of two Ligue 1 youngsters on Chelsea’s shortlist

Cherki came through the academy at Lyon and is touted as one of the finest players of his generation, having grabbed four goals and six assists last season and drawing attention to his technical ability, ability with both feet and his versatility to play all across the attacking midfield.

Alongside Cherki, Chelsea are also believed to have Montpellier striker Elye Wahi on their shortlist and are monitoring the situation around the 20-year-old, who scored 19 goals in 33 Ligue 1 games last season.

DETAILS: Everything you need to know about Ligue 1 hotshot Elye Wahi

Wahi also has two years remaining on his contract and his believed to be valued at €30m, although Chelsea would likely face strong competition to sign the forward.

Both Cherki and Wahi would add to Chelsea’s youthful contingent, with owner Todd Boehly having focused on signing young talent since buying the Blues last summer.