Todd Boehly is the Chelsea co-owner
Chelsea are on the cusp of announcing their first signing of the January window after Fabrizio Romano claimed a deal to sign Senegalese midfielder Pape Daouda Diong was “almost done”.
The Blues have splashed out big money since Todd Boehly took the reins at Stamford Bridge alongside Behdad Eghbali, breaking over the £1bn barrier on multiple new arrivals. Of those new signings, an astonishing £279.7m has been splashed out on central midfielders, with Enzo Fernandez (£106.7m), Moises Caicedo (£115m) and Romeo Lavia (£58m) all moving to Chelsea for huge fees.
However, the American owner has also showed himself partial to investing on some of the game’s brightest young prospects too, with the likes of Gabriel Slonina, Cesare Casadei, Andrey Santos, Angeo Gabriel and Ishe Samuels-Smith among the future diamonds they hope to have uncovered.
Now, with the January window set to officially open for business in just 12 days time, Boehly has already set the ball rolling for the winter window with another swoop closing in for a talented young star.
Little is known, however, about their latest investment, though Blues scouts believe they have acquired one of Africa’s brightest prospects on Diong.
Born in 2006, the player is still only 17 years of age and has agreed terms over a move to go through upon his 18th birthday in June 2024.
The player was in attendance at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening as Chelsea edged out Newcastle on penalties to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals after Mykhaylo Mudryk’s late goal cancelled out Callum Wilson’s first-half opener.
Pictured next to another future Chelsea player in Kendry Paez, Diong appeared to be happy to witness the passionate Bridge crowd on a pretty tense evening in SW6.
Fabrizio Romano provides details on Chelsea signing
Diong, who has represented his country at Under-17 level, is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in his Africa, so Chelsea will hope they have snapped up a real gem here.
He currently plays for AF Darou Salam in his homeland and providing details of his signing, transfer expert Romano tweeted: “Chelsea are closing in on deal to sign Senegal U17 midfielder Pape Daouda Diong from AF Darou Salam! Deal almost done.
“Diong will be able to join in June 2024 when he will turn 18.”
The Blues, meanwhile, will hope Diong’s signing is the first of what may well prove an active January.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino has challenged Boehly to put his hand in his pocket to further strengthen a squad that the Argentine currently feels is lacking and whom currently sit a disappointing 10th, some 12 points adrift of the top four.
Pochettino’s top priority is to recruit a new striker, amid links to the likes of Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney.
Speaking after the recent 2-0 defeat at Everton, Pochettino stated: “Football is about scoring goals and we were not clinical in front of goal.
“I’m really, really disappointed. We didn’t get the point we deserved. I think we were better but we didn’t get what we wanted.
“This was a game to play and to win. It’s a problem we need to check. We need to analyse the reality. We need to talk and to try to improve in the next transfer market.”
Any deal for Toney would likely set Chelsea back around £80m, while Osimhen has a £112m exit clause in his Napoli contract.
