Reports | Chelsea prepare cash plus player deal for Moussa Dembele

According to English media outlet, the Mirror, Chelsea are preparing to launch an offer for Olympique Lyon’s Moussa Dembele. The London club wants to offer a player plus cash deal in order to lure Lyon into accepting the transfer. The Blues will offer £40 million in transfer fees and offer Olivier Giroud to Lyon. Chelsea wants to add more flair to the attack after losing Eden Hazard in the summer and have targeted players like Timo Werner, Jadon Sancho, Wilfried Zaha and Dembele.

The 23-year-old frontman is in superb form scoring 12 goals in 26 games this term and will be expected to keep that tally up with Memphis Depay out for the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament. Dembele is set to take the goalscoring onus on his shoulders after Depay’s long term injury. Les Gones are adamant on not letting their striker go in January transfer window especially after losing Depay.

The French club released a statement saying that Dembele is not for sale and won’t leave in the winter transfer window. The ex-Celtic star is contracted till 2023 and Lyon hope to keep Dembele until his contract expires. However, with Chelsea offering another striker in the form of Olivier Giroud reports indicate that Lyon might just soften their stance.

The 33-year-old has fallen out of favour in Frank Lampard’s squad with Giroud finding himself below Michy Batshuayi and Tammy Abraham in the pecking order. The France international has already expressed his desire to leave Stamford Bridge and moving to Lyon might be a better opportunity.