Chelsea have beaten Roma to the signing of Rennes right-back Guela Doue, with the defender in line to become the club’s seventh new recruit of the summer transfer window.
The Blues have been busy in the transfer market with a view to kick-starting the Enzo Maresca era, with Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Caleb Wiley, Renato Veiga, Omari Kellyman and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall all arriving through the doors at Stamford Bridge.
It’s understood Chelsea are also closing in on a deal for Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, who is expected to arrive in west London as competition for Robert Sanchez.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Doue is set to follow suit in a move which has flown under the radar until now. The report claims the 21-year-old will join Chelsea for a fee of around €7million (£5.9m) plus €2m (£1.7m) in bonuses.
But Doue will be immediately sent on loan to Strasbourg for the upcoming season in a bid to securing regular first-team football.
The versatile Ivory Coast international – who is comfortable playing at right-back, centre-back and as a defensive midfielder – had also attracted interest from Roma after rejecting the offer of a new contract with Rennes earlier this summer.
Doue has just one year remaining on his current deal in Brittany and the Ligue 1 outfit have decided to cash in on their academy product to avoid losing the player on a free transfer in 12 months time.
After joining Rennes at the age of eight, Doue rose through the academy ranks and made his senior debut as a second-half substitute in a 3-0 victory over Strasbourg in February 2023.
The youngster has gone on to make 35 appearances in the French top flight, while also earning two caps for the Ivory Coast national team.
Doue’s older brother, Desire, also plays for Rennes and his cousins Yann Gboho and Marc-Olivier Doue turn out for Toulouse and Eldense respectively.
Facing the media after Chelsea’s pre-season draw with Wrexham, Maresca said ‘anything’ was possible in the transfer market, with over a month remaining until the deadline.
Asked for an update on Chelsea plans, Maresca told reporters: ‘When the transfer window is open, anything can happen for us and for the rest.’
Pressed on Chelsea’s interest in Villarreal ‘keeper Jorgensen, Maresca added: ‘We’ll see, we’ll see.
‘In this moment we have four goalkeepers. [Dorde] Petrovic is still with us but injured. We will see with the timing.
‘What I can say is Robert [Sanchez] did very well tonight and did very well since we started. For sure, the way we want to play, the goalkeeper is very, very important – one of the main positions.
‘And I don’t want to talk about players that are not Chelsea players but I am very happy with Robert.’
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