According to talkSPORT, talk of a £75 million valuation for Chelsea defender Malo Gusto has drawn attention from Manchester United and Manchester City as the right-back finds himself on the fringes in west London.
Ever since head coach Xabi Alonso took over, the 23-year-old Frenchman has dropped down the Stamford Bridge pecking order behind Josh Acheampong. Even with club captain Reece James still out of action due to injury, the ex-Lyon defender has not made a Premier League starting lineup since September 12.
Instead, academy graduate Acheampong has increasingly been favoured on the right side of the backline. Having arrived from his youth club Lyon for approximately £26m back in 2023, the attacking full-back previously held down a regular spot in the capital, making 144 total appearances and netting three goals across all tournaments.
Yet, he has only earned three starts from his seven league appearances during this ongoing season. Outside of those occasional league outings, the defender was included in the starting lineup for all three of his team’s Carabao Cup matches prior to their fourth-round exit on penalties against Liverpool.
Such limited playing time has caught the eye of domestic competitors, with City having already looked into a prospective transfer over the summer with the goal of reuniting the player with former Stamford Bridge manager Enzo Maresca. Although the Etihad Stadium board continue to view his profile favourably, the broadcaster points out that ongoing regulatory matters off the pitch make funding a £75m transfer a complicated endeavor.
| Metric | Malo Gusto | Josh Acheampong |
|---|---|---|
| Premier League Starts (Current Campaign) | 3 | Favoured under Alonso |
| Total Club Appearances (All Competitions) | 144 | Academy Graduate |
| Asking Price | £75 Million | N/A |
Following their breach of 114 Premier League financial regulations, Maresca’s squad are currently waiting on the final verdict of their appeal. An independent panel ruled that the club used ‘sham’ agreements over a span of nine years from 2009 to 2018 to artificially boost their income by £900m.
Any potential pursuit of an expensive player in the upcoming transfer window remains far from straightforward while they await a definitive sanctions hearing and the finalization of their legal appeal. At the same time, United are at a critical juncture at Old Trafford having reached an agreement in principle for United States manager Mauricio Pochettino to take over from Michael Carrick.
With City’s legal proceedings ongoing alongside this looming managerial switch, it remains uncertain if either interested party will make a formal bid when January arrives. Nevertheless, Gusto’s situation will be watched closely if he remains out of favour.
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