Malo Gusto has only just signed for Chelsea but the youngster is already facing an uphill task.
Chelsea have finally wrapped up their seventh signing of the January transfer window after convincing Lyon to sell Malo Gusto in a £31million transfer. And while there will be some relief within Stamford Bridge at clinching his signature after weeks of negotiations, the young full-back has every reason to feel concerned about his switch to Stamford Bridge.
It was announced on Sunday that the 19-year-old has signed a long-term contract with the Blues until 2030, tying down the defender to the west London club for the next seven seasons. As part of the agreement with Lyon, Gusto will spend the rest of the campaign on loan with the Ligue 1 outfit.
Malo Gusto – whose full name when translated from Spanish to English means ‘bad taste’ – will be hoping to avoid having that sensation when he turns up at training for the first time in Cobham on July 1.
It is a deal that suits Chelsea in some ways, given their long-serving captain Cesar Azpilicueta is likely to depart this summer. This way, Azpilicueta can continue in his deputy role to step in at right-back if James is out injured and Gusto can gain much-needed experience for the rest of the season, having only made 54 appearances for the club.
The French teenager revealed he decided to join the club after hearing of their plans for the future: “I chose Chelsea because it’s a very big club and I really like the project. I’m very happy to be here,” he told the club’s official website.
But for Gusto, it is difficult to see the benefit to him joining the Premier League side, apart from the significance to his own personal finances.
At Lyon, he has only played as a right-back or further forward as a wing-back, and the assumption is he will be utilised in the same position when he arrives at Chelsea. The only problem is that Reece James, when fit, is considered untouchable in that role after emerging as one of the key players at the club.
James is only 23 himself and recently put pen to paper on a six-year contract to commit his future to the club. He is going nowhere for the time being, despite interest from Real Madrid, and that means Gusto will surely be consigned to the bench.
As it stands, he is facing the prospect of spending the majority of his time on the bench when he arrives to link up with the squad in 2023-24.
Of course, Graham Potter may not see it as an issue. With a gruelling schedule forcing clubs to play around 55 to 60 matches a season, injuries and fitness problems are becoming more frequent than ever.
That has been firmly established with James, who has endured a frustrating season with only five appearances so far. The Cobham graduate is only just returning to training after spending three months out with a knee problem, so there is some opportunity for Gusto to step in if James continues to be hampered by injury.
And for Potter, having two quality right-backs at his disposal will represent a positive dilemma for the 47-year-old, as opposed to the scenario of having no players available.
For Gusto, the challenge has been set for him to prove his worth with an elongated goodbye at his boyhood club before his big move to London in the summer. Because when pre-season starts in July, it will be down to him to prove he is able to compete with James for that starting spot, which is far from a straightforward task.
SOURCE: express.co.uk
