23 December 2023 , 07:28
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Chelsea have spoken to Sporting Lisbon about signing Ousmane Diomande and Viktor Gyokeres in a £156million double swoop.
Mauricio Pochettino wants to add to his squad in the New Year despite spending huge sums in the summer. The Blues are languishing in midtable and their performances highlight the need for further recruitment with a host of their signings not delivering.
The club have turned their attention to the table topping Portuguese outfit, who have already made their stance clear on the sums they expect to receive. Gyokeres was playing in the Championship with Coventry last year and moved to Lisbon for £17m back in the summer - now Sporting want his £87m release clause met if they are to lose him.
Gyokeres, a Swedish international, has scored 17 goals and provided eight assists in 20 appearances and is seen as the man who can finally aid Chelsea's problems in the final third. Last term the 25-year-old, who used to be on Brighton's books, scored 22 times for Coventry.
The club's goal tally has been an issue for some time with several forwards failing to fire. Victor Osimhen has been shortlisted as a potential target for several months but Napoli "are close to reaching an agreement" which will include a £112m release clause. The Evening Standard reports that the Blues have made contact with Gyokeres and his Sporting team-mate Diomande.
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The centre-half joined from Midtjylland for £6.5m in January but the Portuguese outfit now value him at £69m and want that fee met before they entertain his sale. Diomande's former club would also be owed 20 percent of the transfer fee, which could further complicate the deal.
Viktor Gyokeres joined from Coventry in the summer
Ousmane Diomande is the latest defender on Chelsea's radarChelsea's initial enquiry for the defender been knocked back, but they could yet return. Wesley Fofana remains a long-term injury, Thiago Silva could exit when his contract expires and Trevoh Chalobah has been deemed surplus to requirements. It furthers Pochettino's need to bolster his backline.
Pochettino is also keen to see a midfielder arrive, but that is low on his list of priorities. Rather than spend more sums he could opt to bring 19-year-old Andrey Santos back to the club. He is expected to be recalled from his disappointing loan spell at Nottingham Forest.