Chelsea have seen a second bid for Lyon defender Malo Gusto rejected with the French outfit determined to retain the player until at least the summer.
The Blues had been in the market for a new right back to provide cover to nailed on starter Reece James who has spent the majority of the season sidelined with injury troubles and Gusto was said to be a top target for the boss Graham Potter.
Puisque je participe de manière active avec Vincent Bruno Laurent à ce grand mouvement de l’hiver j’ai le plaisir de conforter L’équipe sur KTE mais aussi de préciser que Malo 1grand espoir de l’OL continuera de jouer avec l’OL au moins jusqu’au 30/06/23 https://t.co/wI0ybCMeIc
— Jean-Michel AULAS (@JM_Aulas) January 26, 2023
Lyon, however, have rebuffed two approaches made by the Chelsea camp and the Ligue 1 side’s chief Jean-Michel Aulas has insisted in his recent tweet that the teenage defender will be staying put for the remainder of the campaign.
The French top flight giants were believed to be holding out for a fee in the region of £25 million as they were quick to turn down Chelsea’s £17 million offer to sign the 19-year-old Gusto who has also courted interest from Manchester United of late.
It remains to be seen whether Lyon’s statement on keeping Gusto beyond the January window forces Chelsea into looking at alternatives with the Blues’ long-term admirers of Inter Milan wing-back Denzel Dumfries.
