Flamengo's forward Matheus Franca celebrates with defender Wesley after scoring a goal. (Photo by RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP via Getty Images)
As per the Athletic (subscription required), Chelsea are in the race with London rivals Crystal Palace for Flamengo attacking midfielder Matheus Franca.
Palace have made Franca their top target of the summer regardless of what happens with the future of their talisman Wilfried Zaha, who is yet to sign a new contract at Selhurst Park.
Chelsea are interested in the young Brazilian, who has made 54 appearances for the Flamengo senior side, is an attacking midfielder who can play as a second striker or as one of the attacking central midfielders in a 4-3-3 system.
The Blues are eyeing a move for Rayan Cherki, a player similar in profile and positioning to Franca. So, we have an idea of the type of player the club is chasing at the moment.
Under the new ownership, Chelsea have focused on buying top young talents on long-term contracts with the hope that they will develop here. The South American market has been tapped a few times already.
While that is all good and encouraging, one would think that the club is focusing on the wrong thing. They anyway have signed a lot of young players. Stockpiling isn’t a clever strategy.
They have to bolster the first-team midfield and centre-forward department with proven players before they can think of adding young players for the future. As good as Franca has been for Flamengo, if Chelsea sign him, he would come in and play some games for the youth team in the coming season at the least.
The preferred solution would be to let the 19-year-old go to Palace and see how he fares in the Premier League if the Eagles hand him playing time in senior football here. But that would entail the risk of letting him join a team where there is no guarantee of a future sale. Perhaps buy him and loan him to the Eagles? Not the worst strategy in the world…
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