Chelsea are reportedly increasingly keen on Nottingham Forest central midfielder Elliot Anderson, but a major sale may be required first.
The England international is wanted by both Manchester United and Manchester City, and I can now reveal that Chelsea have been scouting him as well.
As first reported in my Daily Briefing exclusive here, Chelsea have done “extensive” scouting of Anderson this season, and they unsurprisingly like what they’ve seen.
Is Chelsea move for Elliot Anderson realistic?
However, it’s clear Forest are not going to sell Anderson for anything other than huge money, so that might mean Chelsea need to make a sale first.
The Blues arguably also don’t have room for Anderson in their squad right now, which perhaps points towards selling Enzo Fernandez.
My sources insist, however, that there is not currently any indication that Chelsea are looking to offload Fernandez, even if there has been some speculation about him in the past.
Why Elliot Anderson is wanted by Chelsea and other top clubs
Anderson has recently been described by Thomas Tuchel as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, and the numbers back that up.
Just take a look below at how the 23-year-old’s key metrics compare to the likes of Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo…
Kobbie Mainoo is another Chelsea target in that position, but sources suggest the west London giants could also make a bigger investment for a signing in that department.