Chelsea signing Fofana already set to leave

Milan Keskin

• Updated: 23 May 2023 09:00 CDT
• 4 min read

New Chelsea signing David Datro Fofana could leave the club again during the January transfer window, with PSV closely monitoring the 20-year-old.

Fofana only arrived at Chelsea a matter of days ago, with the striker joining in a €10 million deal from Molde. However, he could be sent on loan to the Eredivisie, where the Blues have regularly sent players in such deals.

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Italian sources suggested on Friday that PSV might be interested in Fofana, and according to Rik Elfrink of the Eindhovens Dagblad , the attacker is indeed on PSV's list but has not yet been approached for a possible transfer.

According to the journalist, it is still questionable whether PSV is the club he would prefer. The team from Eindhoven already has a first-choice striker in Luuk de Jong, so there is a chance that Fofana would only have a peripheral role to play at the Phillips Stadion.

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Fofana a potential breakout talent

Fofana had a large influence in Molde FK's title win in Norway this season. With 15 goals in 24 games, the Ivorian attacker was worth his weight in gold for his club.

Inevitably, he has been quickly compared abroad with Erling Haaland, who was also prolific for Molde before starring for Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City.

Chelsea did not want to risk missing out on the attacker and paid €10m to sign him. Fofana will join the Blues at the beginning of January, but seems to have been signed primarily for the longer term. That is why a loan deal is certainly not excluded in the weeks to come.

PSV, meanwhile, are interested in securing a replacement for Cody Gakpo. The left winger moved to Liverpool for a record fee and has not been replaced.

"We will certainly look at the opportunities on the transfer market in the coming period. We will have to wait and see what comes along," said head coach Ruud van Nistelrooij after the friendly match against AC Milan (3-0 win) last Friday.

Fofana is not a like-for-like replacement for Gakpo, so is liable to be a lesser priority for PSV this January, though other clubs may try to raid Chelsea for the striker,