Why Chelsea should make a move for Moussa Dembele in January

According to The Telegraph, Chelsea have been linked with Lyon star Moussa Dembele ahead of the January transfer window.

The Blues, currently 4th in the Premier League, were not expected to be able to sign anyone in January after FIFA ruled they had breached regulations relating to the recruitment of young players. They were unable to sign players in the summer window.

The Londoners appealed the verdict, however, and The Telegraph claimed last week that the ban had been lifted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Chelsea will now be able to bring new players to Stamford Bridge next month and are bracing themselves for a stunning £150m spending spree, the report adds.

Lyon's French forward Moussa Dembele (C) challenges Dijon's French defender Wesley Lautoa (L) and Dijon's French midfielder Bryan Soumare during the French L1 football match between Lyon and Dijon, on October 19, 2019 at the Groupama stadium in Décines-Charpieu near Lyon. (Getty Images) — Lyon’s French forward Moussa Dembele (C) challenges Dijon’s French defender Wesley Lautoa (L) and Dijon’s French midfielder Bryan Soumare during the French L1 football match between Lyon and Dijon, on October 19, 2019 at the Groupama stadium in Décines-Charpieu near Lyon. (Getty Images)

Moussa Dembele has impressed at Lyon since joining from Celtic in the summer of 2018. He has scored 10 goals in 16 Ligue 1 games so far this season, with Lyon currently seventh in the table. With the 23-year-old proving himself as a potent goalscorer in France, should Chelsea go for him in January?

Chelsea have been a bit inconsistent of late, losing three out of their last five league games. They lost successive league games last month – to defending champions Manchester City and a struggling West Ham before bouncing back with a 2-1 win over Aston Villa. However, the Blues were completely undone at the weekend as they were beaten 3-1 by Everton at Goodison Park.

Tammy Abraham has been Chelsea’s chief source of goals this season, making himself very much indispensable to Lampard. Barring Abraham, the Blues have Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi as options in the striking department.

But Lampard is willing to offload Giroud in the January transfer window, meaning the Londoners could be only left with strikers Abraham and Batshuayi.

Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham has been in great form this season. (Getty Images)

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By selling Giroud, Lampard should replace the France international with Dembele as Chelsea not only need a quality striker but someone who could be open to rotate in and out of the starting XI.

Dembele is one of the best strikers in the Ligue 1 and would certainly improve the Blues’ potency in the final third, whilst adding competition for the likes of Abraham and Batshuayi.

Verdict

With Batshuayi and Giroud not among the goals anymore, Chelsea clearly need someone as a backup for the in-form Abraham to help them stay in the hunt for the top-four this season. And someone like Dembele, who has previously played in England with Fulham, would be a smart investment.