Chelsea make radical decision on flop transfer after Moscardo snub

Tom Weber

Updated: 29 Nov 2023 16:10 GMT
3 min read

Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea, 2023/24 — © ProShots

Chelsea will recall Andrey Santos from his disappointing loan and focus on signing a striker after being snubbed by Gabriel Moscardo, according to reports.

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The Blues are officially out of the race to sign Brazilian wonderkid Moscardo, according to Fabrizio Romano. Instead, PSG are now pushing to seal a deal for the highly-rated defensive midfielder and Chelsea have no intention to hijack the negotiations.

According to the Evening Standard, this decision is informed by the 18-year-old's stance on a switch to Stamford Bridge. "PSG's approach comes amid late trepidation from Moscardo about Chelsea's current midfield options," the outlet writes.

Chelsea already boast a wealth of talent in Moscardo's position, though one of the most useful options is currently out on loan - but not for much longer.

Santos recalled, striker pursued

A different report from the Standard outlines Chelsea's intentions to recall Andrey Santos from his Nottingham Forest loan, having only featured in seven Premier League minutes for Steve Cooper's side. The Blues value the young Brazilian highly, though breaking into the team could prove tough and if they seek to loan him again, they will have to find an English taker as they can't make any more international loans.

Finally, the Moscardo snub has led to Chelsea switching their focus from the 18-year-old to a striker signing, it is claimed. The Blues have long since been linked with a January move for Victor Osimhen or Ivan Toney but signing either will be a challenge given the money involved and the fact of it being mid-season.

Mauricio Pochettino is still in the process of assessing whether or not the three strikers at his disposal - Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson and Armando Broja - offer enough firepower to get the Blues back into Europe. The recent news that Chelsea are not open to selling Broja despite Premier League interest gives an indication that they are ready to wait for Osimhen until the summer.