Arsenal are now in danger of losing striker Khayon Edwards after Chelsea opened talks to sign the teenager – even if they can’t actually sign him yet.
That’s according to a new report from Goal, who claim that Chelsea have initiated contact with Edwards.
The sanctions placed on Roman Abramovich mean that Chelsea can’t actually finalise a deal to sign Edwards.
To sign the Arsenal talent, Chelsea would need those sanctions to be eased – which doesn’t look likely – or a takeover, which could happen.
That at least gives Arsenal some time to thrash out a deal, but this report will be a major concern.
Just last week, Football London reported that Arsenal were getting closer to agreeing a new deal with Edwards after months of talks.
Yet until that deal is signed, sealed and delivered, Arsenal will fear losing their exciting teenage attacker.
Chelsea have been linked with Edwards for a while now so hearing that they have been sniffing around makes sense.
The Daily Mail reported Chelsea’s interest in Edwards back in December. They also claimed that Leeds, Southampton, Brighton and Newcastle were all keen too.
Edwards, 18, has come up through the Arsenal ranks and actually shares an agent with first-team star Bukayo Saka.
Edwards will be hoping to follow a similar path to stardom as Saka having racked up 16 goals and five assists in 16 Under-18 Premier League games this season.
That’s a ridiculous record and Arsenal must have high hopes for Edwards alongside Folarin Balogun and Mika Biereth, their other exciting young strikers.
Arsenal did go through a similar situation with Balogun, with his contract running down and a deal seemingly being in doubt for months.
In the end, Arsenal got it done.
They need to replicate that success here, with Edwards potentially just months away from leaving the club – and seeing him join rivals Chelsea would truly sting.
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