According to rumors, Chelsea wants to bring in right-back Malo Gusto from Lyon before the January transfer window closes.
The Blues are trying to replace Reece James’ recurring injuries by adding a fresh face to Graham Potter’s wing-back options.
After aggravating a knee injury he sustained in October, James hasn’t played since the 2-0 victory over Bournemouth in December.
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The right wing-back spot has been filled in his absence by Trevoh Chalobah, a natural center-back, and 33-year-old Cesar Azpilicueta.
Chelsea has prioritized the area in addition to signing a new midfielder in an effort to increase the offensive output under Potter’s system.
The Blues manager has battled with his 3-4-2-1 system, which prioritizes the wing-backs.
Gusto has been lined up to serve as competition, despite the fact that James has returned to training and is close to making his long-awaited comeback.
Malo Gusto: Who is he?
Portuguese-born Gusto spent his formative years at AS Villefontaine and Borgoin-Jallieu before joining Lyon at the age of 13 in 2016. The right-back, who was selected for Rudi Garcia’s first team, had previously impressed in the 2019–2020 UEFA Youth League.
This was before he made his senior debut in January 2021, a 5-0 victory away at Saint-Etienne.
He made nine starts for Lyon in the 2020–21 campaign and one substitute appearance. Peter Bosz, a former manager of Borussia Dortmund and Ajax, was instrumental in bringing Gusto into the starting lineup.
In September 2021, Gusto took over as captain of the France Under-19 team as Mattia De Sciglio returned to Juventus on loan. He played in 30 Ligue 1 games last year. He was crucial to the team’s advancement to the quarterfinals of the Europa League.
Since moving up to the first team, he has gotten better and has played in all but four of Lyon’s 19 league games this year.
Gusto represented his nation from the Under 16 to the Under 21 level despite his age. He accomplished this while playing with Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile of Chelsea .
The reason Chelsea wants him
It is clear from the past three years how crucial wing-backs are to Chelsea’s success.
Under Thomas Tuchel, James and Ben Chilwell were instrumental in the 2021 Champions League victory, and their significance has persisted under Potter.
In contrast to earlier in his reign, Potter has had difficulty producing results at Stamford Bridge because of the absences of James and Chilwell. Potter guided Chelsea to victories over AC Milan (twice), Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace while his team was in peak condition.
Sadly, the team and Potter have faced criticism for their inability to win during the holiday season. Some believe James’ injury problems have been a factor. It has become crucial to have a backup right-back to James who can compete with him and grow into a natural wing-back under Potter’s system.
Gusto has a same tendency to advance and aid Lyon’s attack as the Cobham grad did. He can, however, silence the wingers and make inch-perfect tackles when necessary to convert possession into rapid transitions.
