Chelsea are reportedly keeping a close eye on Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra ahead of a potential move for him in the January transfer window.
The 19-year-old is considered to be one of the most promising youngsters in Europe and has caught the attention of several big clubs.
A move for Diarra would certainly fit in with Mauricio Pochettino’s transfer strategy of buying young players with high potential.
The manager has signed the likes of Deivid Washington (18), Romeo Lavia (19), Angelo (18) and Diego Moreira (18) this summer, who are all touted to become top players in the future.
Diarra is also expected to become a superstar in the future. As previously reported by TEAMtalk, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham are all believed to be admirers of the Strasbourg man.
With that in mind, we could potentially see a bidding war take place for the midfielder this summer.
Chelsea would have a big advantage in the race for Diarra, though, considering that Todd Boehly owns a majority stake in Strasbourg.
Therefore, they should be able to use their links with the French club to sign him.
Chelsea stopped Wolves from signing Diarra
According to Football Insider, Chelsea are keeping ‘close tabs’ on Diarra ahead of a potential move for him in January.
The report notes that Wolves saw a bid rejected for the midfielder after the Blues intervened to prevent him from leaving the French club. This is because Pochettino is weighing up whether to bring him to Stamford Bridge.
Diarra broke into the Strasbourg first team as a 17-year-old in the 2021-22 campaign but was not a regular for the French side until the following season.
He has made three appearances this season so far, starting two matches and making one substitute appearance. A versatile player, he has the ability to play as a defensive or central midfielder, or even as a right winger on occasion.
Diarra could therefore provide cover in several areas for Chelsea. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see if they can beat the competition to his signature when the transfer window re-opens in January
