Chelsea are now reportedly closing in on the signing of a top African talent, with the deal said to be almost done.
Over the past three windows, Chelsea are believed to have not only signed the most players in total, but spent more than a billion euros on transfers too.
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The club signed 12 players in the window ahead of the 2023/24 campaign alone, with the likes of Axel Disasi, Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Robert Sanchez, and Nicolas Jackson all arriving for sizeable fees at Stamford Bridge.
It appears the Blues' spending is set to continue, with the Todd Boehly-led outfit believed to be on the verge of acquiring one of Africa's brightest talents.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are close to completing the signing of Senegal U17 midfielder Pape Daouda Diong from AF Darou Salam.
The player was spotted at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, when Chelsea took on Newcastle United in their League Cup quarter-final, alongside Kendry Paez, a 16-year-old Ecuadorian wonderkid who is only expected to fully sign for the club in May 2025.
Diong, however, is expected join the team in June 2024 when he turns 18.
The teenager was a key member of the Senegal U17 team that competed at the recent FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Indonesia.
The playmaker featured in all four of his nation's matches before they were eliminated by eventual runners-up France in the round of 16. He started in two of those games and came on as a substitute in the other two.
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The Blues' hierarchy have paid a special focus on recruiting young players with an approach that prioritises the future. Lavia, Lesley Ugochukwu, Angelo, Deivid Washington, and Diego Moreira are just some of teenager signings the club has made in 2023.
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