Chelsea still pursuing Malo Gusto deal despite Aulas comments as Lyon set asking price

will need to double their opening offer for Malo Gusto if they are to convince Lyon to sell the right-back this month, according to reports.

The west club have already added six new players this month but remains keen to bring in both a new right-sided defender and a midfielder.

Gusto has been identified as the ideal player to act as cover and competition for the injury-plagued Reece James, with Potter concerned by the backup options currently at his disposal.

Captain Cesar Azpilicueta’s form has dropped off significantly and there are question marks over whether he still has the athleticism to play at right wing-back.

That saw Potter switch to a back four and use centre-back Trevoh Chalobah at right-back instead, though he would ideally like to sign a player who can more seamlessly stand in for James.

But their pursuit of Gusto hit a major stumbling block on Thursday when Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas .

‘Malo, a great hope for OL, will continue to play with OL at least until 06/20/23,’ he wrote on Twitter.

However, Chelsea have not yet given up on signing Gusto and are reporting that Lyon could be prepared to cash in despite Aulas’ comments if their asking price is met.

The teenager’s current contract expires in 18 months’ time and the Ligue 1 side are conscious that they are running out of time to cash in.

They are therefore believed to value Gusto at around £35million – though Chelsea’s opening offer fell well short of that figure.

The first offer from the Premier League club valued the France Under-21 international at around £17.6m – less than half Lyon’s asking price – which may have been what prompted Aulas’ comments.

On many occasions in the past, the Lyon president has publicly said a player would not be leaving only for them to be sold not long after – such as with Alexandre Lacazette and Tanguy Ndombele, and, going back further, even Michael Essien and Florent Malouda before they were signed by Chelsea.

The west Londoners are expected to return with a fresh offer before the transfer deadline, while they are also pursuing a new midfielder with Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo their top targets despite being rebuffed by Benfica and Brighton already.

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