Official: Chelsea agree £26m deal for Malo Gusto though he will stay with Lyon until the end of the season

Official: Chelsea agree £26m deal for Malo Gusto though he will stay with Lyon until the end of the season

Chelsea were keen to bring in a right-back alternative to Reece James and identified 19 year-old France under-21 international defender Gusto.

 The Blues were met with initial resistance to their interest from Lyon with president Jean-Michel Aulas publicly declaring Gusto 'will continue to play' for Lyon until the end of the season.

 Manager Laurent Blanc added on Friday 'the board have guaranteed to me that (Rayan) Cherki and Malo Gusto will be here until the end of the season.'

 Though a compromise has now been reached with a deal worth around £26m struck between the two clubs, clearing Gusto to travel to England for a medical having already agreed personal terms, though he will be loaned back to Lyon and not join Chelsea's squad permanently until  summer.

 He will join Christopher Nkunku as a pre-agreed summer arrival after Chelsea also finalised a £53m deal to sign the France forward from RB Leipzig.

 Gusto will be Chelsea's seventh signing of this window including the loan capture of Joao Felix.

 There remains the possibility of an eighth with central midfield another department Chelsea are keen to strengthen.

 They have so far been frustrated in their attempts this month to land the likes of Benfica's Enzo Fernandez, Brighton's Moises Caicedo and Everton's Amadou Onana.

 Meanwhile, Chelsea midfielder Cesare Casadei, their £12m summer signing from Inter Milan, is to join Reading on loan after this weekend.