Manchester United and Liverpool are set to join Chelsea in the race to snap up Borussia Dortmund hotshot Youssoufa Moukoko.
Moukoko, 18, has caught the eye of a host of top European clubs since breaking into the Dortmund first-team back in November 2020. The fleet-footed forward, who is capable of filling a variety of positions, has already plundered 11 goals after clocking up more than 50 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit.
Chelsea have been heavily linked with Moukoko, who made history last month by becoming the youngest player to ever feature for Germany at a World Cup, but the Blues are braced for rival interest from other clubs.
According to a fresh report from The Times, two of the teams Chelsea will have to compete with to prise Moukoko away from Dortmund are United and Liverpool. The Premier League trio have all been keeping tabs on Moukoko, who has just six months remaining on his current deal.
All three teams are expected to be in the market for attacking reinforcements when the transfer window reopens next month.
Chelsea are light on recognised central strikers after Blues academy graduate Armando Broja was ruled out for the rest of the season after sustaining an ACL injury in a friendly match against Aston Villa last weekend.
The Blues have spent the last 18 months hoovering up some of Europe's hottest prospects, so a move for Moukoko would fit the bill.
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United are open to doing business in the winter transfer window after terminating Cristiano Ronaldo's lucrative Old Trafford contract six months early and have already been linked with a host of names, while Luis Diaz's injury setback could force Liverpool into bolstering their attacking ranks sooner than anticipated to keep their season alive.
However, the report outlines that any club hoping to acquire Moukoko will have to convince the ambitious youngster that he will have a substantial role to play. After establishing himself at Dortmund, Moukoko is 'wary' of leaving the club prematurely and has no appetite to sit on the bench elsewhere.
Dortmund also still harbour hopes of convincing Moukoko to commit his future to the club. The German giants are believed to preparing another contract offer for the youngster, who has already rebuffed a deal that included a base salary worth £4.4million-a-year. Moukoko and his representatives are said to be looking for a figure closer to £6m-a-year.
Barcelona have also been tentatively linked with Moukoko, but the forward's Premier League suitors could steal a march on their rivals by making an early move in January rather than waiting to snare Moukoko for free next summer.
