Chelsea failed with surprise move for Premier League striker late in August - Reports
Chelsea reportedly failed with a surprise Deadline Day move for Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Ayoniwi in the summer transfer window.
Ayoniwi, formerly of Liverpool, has been in good form since joining Forest from Union Berlin last summer. He has scored 14 goals and provided one assist in 34 games for them.
According to Daily Mirror, the 26-year-old caught the Blues' attention as they looked to make a last-ditch attempt to improve their attacking unit. Nicolas Jackson, who arrived from Villarreal earlier this summer, is currently the sole striker in the Stamford Bridge club's squad.
Ayoniwi, meanwhile, has already hurt Chelsea this season as he assisted Anthony Elanga when the Blues lost 1-0 against Forest at Stamford Bridge. The player, though, could have ended up at Stamford Bridge himself if not the club's attempt failed.
Ayoniwi is contracted with Forest until the end of the 2026-27 season and currently has an estimated market value of €25 million.
Malo Gusto spoke about the start of his Chelsea career
French right-back Malo Gusto completed a move to Chelsea from Olympique Lyon in January. The player though, spent the second half of the 2022-23 season in France with Lyon and joined the Blues' in the summer.
Gusto has started his life as a Blue in style as the Frenchman has provided two assists in his first five appearances across competitions. Gusto reacted to the start of his career at Stamford Bridge, saying (via the Blues' website):
"I was proud to make my debut in a match like the Liverpool one. It was a pleasure. Honestly, in the moment I didn’t really think about it, I was just focused on giving my all for the team. Against Luton I was happy to help Raheem [Sterling] score. ‘It was a great match from the team, and it was a good night for myself."
Gusto added:
"But it’s only the beginning and I hope there will be many more like that. We are starting to have a good team, with a good understanding, and of course with a very good manager. Now we need to get Chelsea back where it belongs."
Gusto is expected to be a mainstay in Mauricio Pochettino's team this season as the Argentine looks to restore the club back to the top this term. They had a tumultuous campaign last term as they finished 12th in the Premier League.