Chelsea advancing in talks to sign French attacker due to increased competition for his signature – Reports

Chelsea are reportedly progressing in talks to rope in Montpellier striker Elye Wahi amidst increased competition ahead of the next season.

The Blues are currently refreshing their squad following their shocking 12th-placed finish in the 2022-23 Premier League table. They are thought to be signing players with an eye on the future as they are keen to prepare themselves for the upcoming seasons.

So far this summer, Mauricio Pochettino's side have bought four new players for a combined sum of £97 million. They have snapped up Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Angelo Gabriel and Diego Moreira, injecting much-needed new blood into the offensive department.

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are advancing in talks to sign Wahi ahead of competition this summer. They have already scheduled a new round of talks with Montpellier in the near future and are expected to reach an agreement soon.

The Blues have formulated a plan to maximize Wahi's development in the 2023-24 campaign. They are aiming to send the three-cap France U21 international out on loan to a top-flight club in one of Europe's leagues.

Wahi, whose current contract is set to expire in June 2025, shot to recognition last season due to his stellar outings at his boyhood club. The 20-year-old helped them finish 12th in the 2022-23 Ligue 1 standings, scoring 19 goals and contributing six assists in 33 appearances.

A right-footed center-forward, Wahi has registered 32 goals and nine assists in 91 matches for Montpellier so far. He is currently averaging a goal involvement at an impressive interval of around 127 minutes.

According to Transfermarkt, Wahi is valued at a little over £30 million.

Chelsea, on the other hand, are in the process of selling their offensive deadwood ahead of the start of the new season. While they have already offloaded Kai Havertz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the Blues are pushing to part ways with Romelu Lukaku this summer.

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Who will be Chelsea's first-choice striker?

With Chelsea likely to be without the likes of Kai Havertz or Romelu Lukaku in the upcoming campaign, Nicolas Jackson is expected to lead the line for the Stamford Bridge team. He arrived from Villarreal in a permanent transfer worth around £32 million earlier this month.

Jackson, 22, earned a name for himself with his electric performances at Villarreal last season. He scored 13 goals and laid out five assists in 2116 minutes of action, spread across 38 games for the La Liga side.

Apart from Jackson, Chelsea could also rely on youth product Armando Broja and summer arrival Christopher Nkunku if required. While the former is a number nine by trade, the latter is considered to be a natural in a second striker role, which is where he is likely to start.