Chelsea have reportedly opened talks with Borussia Monchengladbach over a possible January transfer for Marcus Thuram.
Thuram's contract in Germany expires in June and has a number of potential suitors to choose from, including Bayern Munich and Manchester City. The striker has scored 10 goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances this season and was part of the France squad that reached the World Cup final in Qatar last year.
Clubs will be able to secure the 25-year-old on a free transfer in the summer but Chelsea are understood to be keen to bring him to Stamford Bridge this month. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues have 'opened talks to explore' a move for Thuram this month as Graham Potter's side remain desperate for a natural goalscorer.
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Thuram is valued at £6.17million by CIES Football Observatory and is likely to be available for a cut-price fee this month. Gladbach are likely to be tempted by an offer in January to ensure they avoid losing their talisman for free in the summer.
The Blues have struggled in front of goal this campaign and have scored the fewest goals in the Premier League top 10. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's summer arrival from Barcelona has failed to fill the hole left by Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku, with the former Arsenal star managing only three goals.
Cobham graduate Armando Broja had been handed a handful of opportunities by Graham Potter prior to the World Cup but suffered a blow to his chances of leading the line for Chelsea in the second half of the season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in the mid-season friendly defeat to Aston Villa.
Chelsea's issues in the final third have coincided with Potter's men 10 points off the Champions League spots. The likes of Newcastle and Manchester United have all found form over the festive period with Miguel Almiron and Marcus Rashford consistently hitting the back of the net.
After his side's 1-0 defeat to Manchester City on Thursday, Potter provided an assessment of his side's chances of finishing in the top four in May. “I think given the situation we’re in, to think about what is going to happen in five months’ time is the wrong path for us.
"We just have to focus on the next day and the next game. We have to keep being together, keep the performance level we showed today, keep taking the challenges that come our way, and try to stay together as a team and as a club and move forward.”
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