Chelsea’s start to the season has been decent under manager Xabi Alonso, but recently the club lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and was knocked out of the EFL Cup by Liverpool on penalties.
During the summer transfer window, the Blues added more depth to the engine room with the signings of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, Valentin Barco from Strasbourg, and Jordan Henderson on a free transfer.
But Chelsea did lose Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City and were unable to sign a replacement, as they came close to signing Lamine Camara from Monaco on deadline day, but ultimately a move never materialised between the clubs.
In the upcoming winter transfer window, Chelsea will want to address the situation and bring in a midfielder to facilitate the attack to help them push up the Premier League table and secure a spot for European football, which they failed to do last term.
According to TeamTalk, Chelsea are tracking the development of Yasin Ayari, who currently plays at fellow Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, as reports suggest that talks over a new contract are at a standstill.
However, the London outfit are not the only club interested in his signature, as Turkish giants Galatasaray and Fenerbahce are also keen, while Italian side AC Milan are also in the mix to sign him in January.
Yasin Ayari’s contract with Brighton & Hove Albion runs until 2027, and the club have been trying to convince him to agree to a new contract, but it appears that both parties have not reached an agreement yet, which has cast doubt over his future at the American Express Stadium.
The 23-year-old midfielder’s stock rose significantly following his performances with the Sweden national team at the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Nations League, as he became a key member of the squad, scoring and assisting for his country.
At the domestic level this term, Ayari has made 13 appearances across all competitions and scored two goals, while missing a crucial game against Chelsea due to an ankle injury.
Ayari is a versatile player who can play anywhere in midfield, as a central or defensive midfielder or as an attacking midfielder, which has provided several options to Brighton & Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler.
Currently, under Xabi Alonso, Moises Caicedo has become a mainstay in the middle of the park, with Romeo Lavia and Jordan Henderson used as options to create a two-man pivot alongside Caicedo.
The introduction of Ayari will give Alonso the opportunity to control the tempo of the game a bit better, while his attacking talents will help move the team further up the pitch and provide goal-scoring opportunities for the Chelsea attacking players.
As things stand, it might be a difficult task to get Ayari out of Brighton & Hove Albion in January, in the middle of the season, but as he has entered the final year of his contract, the Seagulls might want to cash in on him in the winter transfer window instead of losing him on a free transfer next season.
It remains to be seen whether Chelsea will be able to fend off competition from several European heavyweights to sign Yasin Ayari in the upcoming winter transfer window.
