With Conor Gallagher’s contract running down, Chelsea appear to be in the market for an attacking midfielder.
While Conor Gallagher is probably suited to a more deeper role, Mauricio Pochettino has mostly used him as a No.10 this season.
However, it looks like he could be replaced this summer, with it being recently reported that Chelsea are working on a deal to sign Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig as they prepare for life after the England international.
Olmo is not a bad player, but the Blues are also thought to be interested in another attacking midfielder from the Bundesliga.
All things considered, he should be the player they prioritise going into the summer transfer window.
Which other attacking midfielders are Chelsea being linked with?
With Gallagher being a central midfielder and possibly set to depart Stamford Bridge in the summer, it does make sense for Chelsea to sign a new No.10.
Of course, some would have expected Cole Palmer to play there after his arrival, but Pochettino has been deploying him on the right flank.
It would now not be a surprise to see Chelsea sign another attacking midfielder, with their former academy star Jamal Musiala being linked with a return to west London.
It has been claimed that the Blues hold an interest in the 21-year-old, though he is not seen as a priority at the moment.
However, that is something that should change. There have also been rumours about Chelsea being keen on Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz.
Why Chelsea should prioritise Jamal Musiala over Dani Olmo
Musiala comes across as a much bigger threat than Olmo.
For example, the Bayern Munich youngster has ranked in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons and the 86th for touches in the attacking penalty area among attacking midfielders and wingers over the last year (FBref).
Olmo, on the other hand, has ranked in the 74th and 32nd respectively. The Spain international has also not scored as many goals or provided as many assists as Musiala, though the latter is obviously playing in a vastly superior team.
Are Chelsea really capable of luring Musiala back to the club? They are 11th in the Premier League table right now, meaning there is no hope of them qualifying for next season’s Champions League. It may not be easy to sell their project to the Germany star.
However, if Chelsea really are looking for a new attacking midfielder, then they have to try. Musiala would be such a better signing than Olmo.
