Feature | Who should move between Chelsea and Strasbourg this summer?

Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace now fall under the BlueCo umbrella following the takeover of the club, which was officialised on Thursday. The word synergies will now occupy a more salient place in the lexicon at Chelsea Football Club, as they, like their new partners at Strasbourg, will look to maximise the potential of the assets at both clubs. Get French Football News looks at which players could, or should make the switch this summer. 

Chelsea’s squad is heavily bloated, and a major preoccupation of the club is offloading, either on loan or permanently, many of their stars. N’Golo Kanté has already left the club, whilst Hakim Ziyech, Édouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly all look like following the Frenchman to the Saudi Pro League. 

However, further departures are necessary, both for financial reasons, but also to allow new manager Mauricio Pochettino to work with a more manageable squad. As well as the outgoings of more experienced stars, developing players, whose route to the first team is currently blocked, will be in need of game time. Strasbourg can provide that opportunity to them. 

David Datro Fofana 

Habib Diallo scored the lion’s share of Les Alsaciens goals last season (20 in Ligue 1) as the club narrowly avoided relegation. However, the Senegalese international is garnering interest from the Premier League, as well as from Rennes. According to L’Équipe, Diallo will leave the club this summer, and will therefore need to be replaced. 

Fofana could be the perfect option to fill Diallo’s shoes. Understandably, arriving from Molde mid-season, the Ivory Coast international saw gametime limited during his first months at the Bridge, racking up just 68 minutes of football in the Premier League. 

The impending arrival of Nico Jackson will likely limit Fofana’s chances again next season, especially in the case of Pochettino deploying his usual 4-2-3-1 formation. Armando Broja, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Romelu Lukaku are also still on Chelsea’s books, although the latter two are expected to depart. 

Fofana, in his limited time in a Chelsea shirt, showed glimpses of his potential, and as a physical forward, shouldn’t need time to adapt to the demands of Ligue 1. Whilst it may be too much to expect that he can replicate Diallo’s 20-goal haul in Ligue 1, he would give Strasbourg’s attack a new dimension, facilitating the achievement of their objectives, whilst also providing crucial development for Fofana. 

Callum Hudson-Odoi

Following an underwhelming loan spell with Bayer Leverkusen, Callum Hudson-Odoi is needing to revitalise his career. Whether Chelsea’s long-term plan is to integrate or to sell, a loan move in the short term would be an ideal scenario, if only to boost his transfer value. 

The winger hasn’t looked the same since his severe injury, and neither at Chelsea nor at Leverkusen was he afforded the time necessary to rediscover his rhythm. At Strasbourg, he would be guaranteed game time, and after last season’s shortcomings at the Ligue 1 club, their eyes won’t be set on European football, but nor should they be fearing the drop. This could provide the perfect context within which Hudson-Odoi could flourish once again. 

Frédéric Antonetti plays with two wide wing-backs and a stacked midfield, with two more advanced midfielders at times playing almost like inside-forwards. Hudson-Odoi would therefore have the ability to slot into different positions depending on the manager’s needs given that he has fulfilled both roles during his time at Chelsea. Whilst the England international would likely play a peripheral role at Chelsea, he could be pivotal at Strasbourg, who could represent a springboard for his faltering career. 

A Carney Chukwuemeka-Jean-Ricner Bellegarde swap?

Despite the heavy investment since Todd Boehly’s takeover at Chelsea, the club could be lacking in midfield depth come the end of summer. It is expected that Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will leave the club this summer. It is also unclear whether Conor Gallagher will be interpreted as more of a number 10 by Pochettino, whether he will fit in a pivot alongside Enzo Fernandez, or whether he is surplus to requirements. The latter feels unlikely. 

However, should he be considered as more of an attacking component, there is a startling lack of depth in Chelsea’s midfield. One, or perhaps two players may be needed in this area of the pitch. Once Pochettino is through the door at Cobham, he will need to evaluate his options, and quickly pass judgements on many players, one of which will be Carney Chukwuemeka. The Englishman was used sparingly during the last campaign, although he did start the penultimate game of the season against Manchester United. 

It feels unlikely that Chukwuemeka will be seen as a starter, and with that being the case, it could be argued that he should go on loan in order to further his development. A move to Strasbourg could be an interesting option and one which would allow him to develop physically too. There is also a case for Andrey Santos, who is returning from a loan in Brazil, going out on loan to France, a move which would allow him to adapt to the physical demands of the Premier League outside of the spotlight. 

Should either make the move, there is an argument to be made that Jean-Ricner Bellegarde should make the opposite switch. Chelsea have been linked with a move for AS Monaco’s Youssouf Fofana, who is valued at €35m. Whilst Bellegarde isn’t an identical profile, he is a similarly progressive ball-progressing number eight, and could be a useful rotation option for Chelsea, and given Strasbourg’s new relationship with the Premier League club, a much less onerous option relative to Fofana. Spending less on a rotation option in the midfield could allow Chelsea to spend more on addressing other issues within their current squad. 

Ismaël Doukouré – but not now 

Ismaël Doukouré is one of if not the brightest prospect currently in Strasbourg’s squad. The France youth international became a mainstay in Strasbourg’s starting XI and is blessed with composure and positional versatility. The 19-year-old has largely played as a centre-back, but can also play in defensive midfield. 

Whilst he may be of interest to Chelsea in the future, now is not the right time for a move, unless the club are looking to sign him and subsequently loan him back to Les Alsaciens. Doukouré has just 29 Ligue 1 appearances to his name having moved from Ligue 2 side Valenciennes last summer, and he will need to consolidate his development with at least another season in Ligue 1. 

His pathway to the first team would also be blocked by Thiago Silva and Trevoh Chalobah, and it is inconceivable to think that he could slot in alongside Fernandez in the midfield pivot. The best move for Chelsea would be to be attentive to Doukouré with a view to a move either next summer, when Silva will likely leave, or the summer after, depending on his progression. 

Lewis Hall? 

Lewis Hall played a surprisingly prominent role for Chelsea last season, particularly in January and during the final phase of the season. The England youth international is naturally a central midfielder but was utilised by Graham Potter and Frank Lampard as a left-wing-back. 

Antonetti deployed wing-backs last season, and so naturally there could be space for Hall within Strasbourg’s system. Equally, he could fit into the central midfield, his more natural position. However, whether Hall is ready to be a starter with Les Alsaciens is the question, and if the question is no, a loan move makes little sense. Should Chelsea receive guarantees about Hall’s game time, and should Strasbourg believe that he has the ability to help the club achieve their objectives, the Englishman would clearly benefit from some more consistent game time in Ligue 1.

The focus, at least this summer, therefore, shouldn’t be on who Chelsea can bring in from Strasbourg, but rather on how the Premier League club can utilise the new partnership to help extract the potential from some of its developing stars.

GFFN | Luke Entwistle