Pochettino targets wonderkid in transfer that could END forgotten star's Chelsea career

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 14 Mar 2024 12:13 CDT
• 4 min read

Chelsea will continue their policy of targeting young players this summer, with a French defender being lined up in a move which could mark the end of a forgotten man at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have splashed more than €1 billion on signings since Todd Boehly’s takeover in 2022, with the vast majority of their outlay being spent on under-23 players who the club deem as high potential.

The potential has yet to manifest on the pitch, however, with Chelsea sitting 11th in the Premier League and big money signings such as Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo still to display their best form for their new club.

READ MORE: Latest Chelsea transfer rumours

Having spent a large sum on the midfield last summer, attention will likely turn to the defence this year and Lille’s Leny Yoro is among the targets being considered to replace Thiago Silva, who is set to leave upon the expiry of his contract at the end of the season.

No outfield player has featured more than Yoro for Lille this season, with the French side boasting the fourth-best defence in Ligue 1 and the 18-year-old is also wanted by Real Madrid, while Chelsea are also considering Jean-Clair Todibo and Ousmane Diomande as alternatives, according to the Evening Standard.

While Caicedo and Fernandez represent the two biggest deals in the Boehly era, the third-largest purchase is perhaps the most questionable of all and his future could become even more bleak if a player like Yoro is brought in.

Chelsea looking to spend more to make up for transfer mistake

Chelsea raised eyebrows when they signed Wesley Fofana for a staggering €80m in 2022, with the 23-year-old having only just returned from a serious injury at Leicester that had kept him out of action for seven months.

A centre-back known for his blistering pace, Fofana had made just seven appearances since recovering from a broken leg before Chelsea chose to make him one of the most expensive defenders of all time.

READ MORE: Chelsea’s 10 most expensive transfers of all time

However, Fofana suffered a knee injury just weeks after signing which sidelined him for four months before tearing his cruciate ligament shortly after his comeback.

Fofana has made just 15 Premier League appearances in the 19 months since his signing and Chelsea’s signings of Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile, as well as the development of Levi Colwill and Alfie Gilchrist, has pushed the Frenchman further down the pecking order.

With Chelsea’s eyes on another young French defender in Yoro, even the departure of Silva may not be enough to save the career of Fofana, who will need to prove his fitness before even coming close to justifying the outlay spent on him.

Fofana is now likely to become a disregarded yet damning example of Boehly’s poor transfer decisions during his time at Chelsea, with the club’s only answer seemingly being to spend more money to get themselves out of the hole they have dug themselves into.