Chelsea striker Bertrand Traore could very well be on his way out of Stamford Bridge. West Ham United recently expressed interest in signing the 21 year-old. Now, Ligue 1 outfit Olympique Lyon have put their name in the hat as well. According to a report from French source L’Equipe, Traore is also interested on making this switch across the English channel.
Lyon CEO and owner Jean-Michel Aulas confirmed the club’s pursuit of Traore in the press conference held for the announcing the signing of Marcal from Benfica. He stated:
“We absolutely want to do the operation.
We recently talked to Chelsea. There are very advanced contacts. But many clubs are interested, as for Marçal.”
Traore spent the last season on loan at Ajax. He was given a chance at Chelsea by Guus Hiddink in the 2015-16 season, and impressed more than just a few people. However, with the club signing Michy Batshuayi in the summer, he found himself on the way to Amsterdam.
It remains to be seen whether the Blues are open to selling Traore. Diego Costa could very well be on his way out of the club and even Romelu Lukaku may come in to replace him, Chelsea won’t want to find themselves thin up front. Traore only extended his contract at Stamford Bridge in August last year. His current deal keeps him in West London until 2019. It is therefore a possibility that he is once again sent out on loan to get regular playing time.
Lyon could well be bracing themselves for the exit of Alexandre Lacazette. Both Liverpool and Arsenal have in recent months expressed interest in signing the Frenchman, who could prised away from his home country by the prospect of higher wages and more success. He has scored 91 goals in all competitions in his last three seasons at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais, and may well want to test his skills in a more competitive environment. He is valued at around £60 million.
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