Man Utd and Man City set for £75m transfer battle over Chelsea defender Malo Gusto after losing starting spot to Josh Acheampong under Xabi Alonso
Manchester United and Manchester City are monitoring Chelsea defender Malo Gusto as the west London club place a £75 million price tag on the peripheral right-back. The 23-year-old Frenchman has fallen behind Josh Acheampong in the Stamford Bridge pecking order since head coach Xabi Alonso took charge.
Rivals monitor sidelined French full-back
According to talkSPORT, both north-west heavyweights are tracking Gusto closely after his first-team opportunities diminished under the Blues' new Spanish tactician. Despite club captain Reece James remaining sidelined through injury, the former Lyon defender has not started a Premier League fixture since September 12. Instead, academy graduate Acheampong has increasingly been favoured on the right side of the backline.
Limited minutes spark departure speculation
Signed from his boyhood French club Lyon for a fee of around £26m back in 2023, the attacking full-back had previously been a regular fixture in the capital, racking up 144 appearances and scoring three goals across all competitions. However, he has been named in the starting XI for just three of his seven top-flight outings during the current campaign.
Aside from those sporadic league minutes, the defender started all three of his side's Carabao Cup ties before their fourth-round penalty shootout elimination against Liverpool. That reduced involvement has alerted domestic rivals, with City having already explored a potential move over the summer in hopes of sealing a reunion between the player and former Stamford Bridge boss Enzo Maresca.
Financial verdict complicates Etihad pursuit
Although the Etihad Stadium hierarchy remain keen admirers of his profile, the broadcaster notes that their ability to finance a £75m deal is complicated by ongoing off-field regulatory proceedings. Maresca's side are still awaiting the final outcome of their appeal after being found guilty of 114 breaches of Premier League financial rules.
An independent commission adjudged that the club had artificially inflated their revenue by £900m via 'sham' contracts over a nine-year period between 2009 and 2018. With a decisive sanctions hearing still pending and the result of their legal challenge yet to be confirmed, any pursuit of a big-money signing in the upcoming market is far from straightforward.
Managerial transition clouds winter approach
Meanwhile, United find themselves at a crossroads at Old Trafford after agreeing a deal in principle for United States boss Mauricio Pochettino to replace Michael Carrick. Given that impending dugout change and City's ongoing legal battle, it remains unclear whether either suitor will lodge an official approach when the January window opens. Nevertheless, Gusto's situation will be watched closely if he remains out of favour.
