Why Malo Gusto chose Chelsea?

Malo Gusto, the highly-rated teenager, has signed with Chelsea after agreeing to remain at Lyon for the rest of the current campaign. Despite Manchester United’s interest, Gusto chose to move to West London and will arrive at Stamford Bridge in the summer.

Under Todd Boehly’s ownership, Chelsea broke records with their January transfer window, spending a staggering £323 million. Gusto was acquired for £26 million and will spend the rest of the season with Lyon before joining Chelsea.

Ajax, under Erik ten Hag’s leadership, had shown great interest in enticing Gusto to Old Trafford, especially given their ongoing struggles with right-backs. The current options at right-back, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Diogo Dalot, have a limited technical ceiling.

Ten Hag was looking for a player to raise the bar at right-back, and Gusto was viewed as the ideal candidate. Although it seemed like he was on the verge of joining Manchester United, Gusto explained what made him choose Chelsea.

Gusto spoke to Telefoot and revealed that Chelsea’s “good proposal, with a good project behind it” was too good to resist. “Chelsea are a very big club. I know what to expect, and I sign to play and impose myself there. We are not where we should be! There is always a little apprehension. Chelsea is a very big club, I’m changing countries. But when I sign, I know what to expect, and I sign to play and win.”

Some have questioned why Gusto would choose to join Chelsea, given that they already have one of the best right-backs in the world in Reece James. However, James has been struggling with fitness in recent months, and Gusto may see this as an opportunity to establish himself in the team.

That said, Gusto himself has had some fitness issues lately, and Lyon’s manager, Laurent Blanc, has revealed that it is affecting the youngster physically and mentally. He has assured fans that they will take good care of Gusto and expects him to recover soon.