Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Nizaar Kinsella

Chelsea set to sign Pape Daouda Diong as youth recruitment drive continues

Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign Senegal Under-17 midfielder Pape Daouda Diong.

The AF Darou Salam youngster was pictured in Chelsea's directors' box during the 4-2 penalty shootout win over Newcastle on Tuesday night.

Diong witnessed Chelsea's progression through to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup alongside 16-year-old wonderkid Kendry Paez, who has already signed a £17.2million pre-contract deal to join Chelsea from Independiente del Valle in 2025.

The 17-year-old can play for Chelsea after his 18th birthday on June 14, 2024.

The move signals Chelsea's commitment to use their extensive scouting network to sign the best youngsters in world football.

The west Londoners are expected to continue signing youngsters despite criticism over the performances of their young first-team squad under Mauricio Pochettino.

Players like Diong could move on loan within BlueCo's multi-club model, which at the moment features only Chelsea and RC Strasbourg but is expected to expand further in the coming years.

Strasbourg are moving towards an all-Under-23 starting lineup under manager Patrick Vieira.

They have been given around £20m by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital to spend on multiple signings in the January transfer window.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.