Chelsea’s ownership woes have led to fears that they could be forced to wave goodbye to some of their key players at all levels. However, that hasn’t stopped the club from eying up possible transfer targets, and they have apparently begun to make their move for Arsenal’s Khayon Edwards.
The Blues have developed a reputation for bringing players through their academy before giving them the chance to impress at the first-team level – usually after a loan spell. Conor Gallagher and Armando Broja are the two most likely candidates to break into Thomas Tuchel’s side next season.
Arsenal’s under-18s striker Edwards is the next player that Chelsea are keen to sign and develop through their ranks. He has scored 17 goals and registered six assists in 22 appearances this season, and according to Goal, the Blues have already made contact with the forward.
Chelsea are currently operating under a specialist licence due to the sanctions imposed on Russian owner Roman Abramovich. However, with a sale edging ever closer, the club want to be ready to sign Edwards once everything has exchanged hands.
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Brighton, Southampton and Leeds are also believed to be amongst the Premier League clubs interested in the forward, with his impressive form also catching the eye of some Bundesliga outfits. But reports that Edwards was a boyhood Chelsea fan could mean that the European champions have the best chance of securing the signature of the highly sought after talent.
Arsenal are, understandably, desperate for Edwards to sign his first professional contract with them. The forward shares the same agent as Buyako Saka and Folarin Balogun – two Gunners stars that have come through the academy and are being banked on for many years to come – and therefore the club will have spoken with Edwards’ representatives previously and had similar conversations about paths into the first team.
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And opportunities at the Emirates Stadium may not be far away at all for Edwards. After Balogun went out on loan in January and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was allowed to leave for Barcelona, Mikel Arteta’s side are desperately short of depth in the final third.
Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah, both out of contract at the end of the campaign, are the Spaniard’s only two options as it stands and an injury to either could pave the way for a young forward to enter the fray. It remains to be seen where Edwards signs his first contract and whether he is keen to continue his development at Arsenal or sees Chelsea as too good of an opportunity to turn down.
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