Chelsea want to beat Arsenal to Europe's most in-form striker
Chelsea are reportedly eager to beat Arsenal to the signing of Monza striker Gustavo Varela, with the Blues sending scouts to watch him in action on Saturday.
The 21-year-old scored his 11th goal of the season during a narrow 2-1 defeat to Bologna over the weekend, and his electric start to life at Monza has attracted substantial transfer interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe.
Varela joined Monza from Benfica in July and he has made an immediate impact in Italy, notching 11 goals in 20 games, with Arsenal heavily linked with a potential move amid their pursuit of attacking reinforcements.
Mikel Arteta’s side are reportedly monitoring Varela’s form ahead of a possible approach next year, although they are set to face significant competition for his signature, with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur both sending club officials to watch him live over the weekend.
That is according to TEAMtalk, who claim that representatives from Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Brentford, Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham, Newcastle United and RB Leipzig were also in attendance to watch Varela at the Renato Dall'Ara stadium.
The Portugal U21 forward joined Monza for a measly fee of just €2.5 million over the summer, but his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has risen sharply towards the €5m mark as a result of his imperious recent form, and it’s expected to continue increasing over the coming months.
Chelsea chase Gustavo Varela deal
While Chelsea strengthened their attacking roster with the striker signings of Emmanuel Emegha and Danny Welbeck over the summer, neither player appears to be trusted by Xabi Alonso and the club could therefore look to land another centre forward next year.
Pedro Neto was selected up front versus Manchester United on Saturday, due to Joao Pedro’s absence through injury, and both Welbeck and Emegha were named on the substitutes bench, despite the fact they are more natural options to lead the line.
It’s clear that Alonso isn’t quite happy with his back-up striker options and Chelsea’s interest in Varela is no surprise given his immense goalscoring form during the early months of the 2026-27 campaign.
