Premier League club ‘leading race’ to sign £10,000,000 Chelsea outcast

Chelsea star David Datro Fofana looks set for a third loan spell in the space of a year with Leicester City reportedly ‘leading the race’ to sign him.

The striker moved from Molde to Stamford Bridge just 19 months ago for a fee of €12million (£10.2m), but has made just four appearances for the Blues.

Last season he endured two torrid loan spells at Union Berlin and Burnley, scoring just six goals in 32 appearances and getting relegated with the latter.

And it now seems that Fofana’s Chelsea career could be over already, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the 21-year-old is ‘expected to leave on loan’ for the season.

Moreover, it is possible that an obligation to buy clause will be included in any deal.

Despite his struggling form there is plenty of interest in the Ivory Coast international, with newly promoted Leicester said to be the frontrunners.

The Foxes are in the market for a new goalscorer, with the struggling Patson Daka, the inexperienced Tom Cannon and veteran Jamie Vardy their centre-forward options.

Vardy scored 18 goals in the Championship last season, but the 37-year-old found the back of the net just three times in his last Premier League campaign.

They do still have impressive winger Stephy Mavididi who can play centrally, but have also lost striker Kelechi Iheanacho to Sevilla and prolific midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall who has followed Enzo Maresca to Chelsea.

Stuttgart and Villarreal are said to be rivalling Steve Cooper’s side for Fofana.

Both Chelsea and Leicester still have a lot of transfer business to do before the new season starts in just over a week’s time, with the Blues close to selling Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea begin the 2024/25 season against champions Manchester City on August 18, with Leicester getting underway the following day against Tottenham.

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