Chelsea make approach for Arsenal youngster Khayon Edwards - report
Chelsea have made contact with their London rivals Arsenal over the potential signing of 18-year-old striker Khayon Edwards, according to Goal.
The Blues are currently unable to make a proper approach to sign any player due to the sanctions put upon the club’s owner Roman Abramovich by the UK government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and his ties to President Vladimir Putin.
Edwards, who has scored 14 goals in 16 games for the Gunners’ Under-18s this season, is yet to sign a new deal at The Emirates and Chelsea are hoping to take advantage of his indecision and swoop in before it’s too late.
Football London reported last week however that Arsenal were confident that Edwards would sign a new deal with the club but no such agreement has been reached so far.
There are also clubs from Germany interested in the 18-year-old with Leeds, Brighton and Southampton the other Premier League sides keeping tabs on his situation in the capital.
Priorities
For Chelsea, signing an 18-year-old with no senior appearances can’t be particularly high on their list of priorities and they need to make sure they focus on the right things before it’s too late.
The clock is ticking louder and louder with each passing day as Abramovich’s sale of the club gets no nearer and the deadline begins to creep into view.
The absolute last thing anyone at the club needs to be thinking about is the potential of signing an unproven striker like Edwards, no matter how talented they could be one day.
He has enjoyed a fabulous season with two goals from three Under-23 games to go along with his stunning Under-18s form but Chelsea won’t remember or regret not signing him now amidst their other monumental problems.
Thomas Tuchel certainly won’t be worried, he has a Champions League place to hunt down and Edwards won’t be playing any part in that.
In other Chelsea news, Aurelien Tchouameni could be the long term replacement for N’Golo Kante.