Chelsea may hand Arsenal transfer blow with Youssoufa Moukoko deal

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Chelsea could end up inadvertently wrecking Arsenal’s transfer plans by signing Borussia Dortmund starlet Youssoufa Moukoko in advance of next season. The Blues are said to be keen admirers of the teenage forward, who looks set to enjoy a long and successful career at the highest levels of the game as a result of his formidable talents and sky-high potential to develop into a world-class striker.

It seems as though Moukoko could be set for a move to the Premier League in the not-too-distant future if he continues to develop on an upward trajectory, with Chelsea said to have been keeping a close eye on his progress in Germany for some time. The Blues may end up ruining Arsenal’s hopes of landing Wilfried Zaha on a free transfer if they are successful in bringing Moukoko to Stamford Bridge, with Dortmund having identified the Crystal Palace man as the youngster’s potential replacement, according to Bild.

It is said that Dortmund will look to sign Zaha if Moukoko leaves the club next year, with the latter’s current deal at the Westfalenstadion set to expire at the end of the season as things stand. It means that he will be able to depart on a free transfer in the summer if he fails to sign a new contract, which could allow Chelsea to snap him up without paying a fee.

The west Londoners could also decide to land Moukoko in January in order to beat the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool to his signature, though, which could see Zaha targeted by Dortmund before the end of the month. The Palace forward will also be a free agent next summer and will be able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with only foreign clubs from January onwards, meaning that Arsenal cannot approach him in the same manner until the end of the campaign.

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However, any such move will hinge on the future of Moukoko, who was included in Germany’s squad for the World Cup as a result of his impressive exploits at club level over the last few months. The 18-year-old marksman tore it up on a consistent basis for Dortmund’s youth teams after joining the club from St Pauli in 2016 and has taken to first-team football like a duck to water over the course of this season.

Moukoko has already chipped in with six goals and four assists in just 14 league appearances for Dortmund and boasts a formidable record for Germany’s under-21 side after scoring six times in five international matches. He remained tight-lipped when quizzed on his future plans by reporters last month, insisting that he remains happy at Dortmund but refusing to rule out the possibility of an impending move elsewhere.

“I will decide whatever happens,” said Moukoko. “I feel the confidence of the coach and I feel very comfortable in Dortmund. In the end, you will find out if I stay or not.”

The teenage striker previously received high praise from none other than Manchester City talisman Erling Haaland, who waxed lyrical over Moukoko’s qualities during his time on Dortmund’s books.

“Moukoko’s much better than I was at his age,” explained Haaland. “I’ve never seen such a good 15-year-old in my life. The advantage for him is that he’s already playing for Dortmund at the age of 15. At his age, I was still playing for my home town of Bryne.”

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