Chelsea ’s search for a striker to supply some much-needed relief to Tammy Abraham has taken them to the center of France, wherever prolific Lyon triggerman Moussa Dembele has caught the attention of Frank Lampard’s team.

The 23-year-old is seen as a natural heir to Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi, WHO have did not win the trust of the previous England midfielder, whose own nous in front of goal distinguished him joined of his generation’s outstanding players.

Now he’s seeking talent of comparable rating superior skill, albeit in a more advanced position during a bid to cement the Blues’ place within the high four of the Premier League table.

With ten goals in eighteen Ligue one appearances this season, and twenty-one over the twelvemonth of 2019, Dembele ticks that box.

He is a typical No.9, lethally combining speed, strength, and talent to ascertain himself joined of the foremost dangerous players in the French league, notching important winning goals against the likes of PSG and Saint-Etienne over the course of the last year.

Only Monaco ’s Wissam ben Yedder (13) and
Paris Saint-Germain ’s Kylian Mbappe (11) has outscored him in LE Championnat this season, despite taking part in for a clearly mediocre Lyon side that finds itself twelfth within the table.

He might not quite match the mildew of young native talent that Lampard has promoted since arriving within the summer from derby, however, the Frenchman contains a history steeped in British soccer, powerfully favoring his game with the archetypical attributes of a stereotypic center forward.

After selecting to leave PSG in 2012 once eight years within the youth academy of his hometown club – thanks to a scarcity of a clear route into the primary team – he took the bold step of moving to Fulham as a 16-year-old.

At Craven cottage, he crafted his game before moving north to Celtic, wherever he enhanced his reputation further and notably caught the attention during a 3-3 Champions League draw with Manchester City.

Two sturdy years in Scotland LED him to create a €22 million (£20m/$26m) switch back to his homeland and, once initial development issues, the goals have flowed.

Dembele might have taken a step up with every one of his moves, however, he has met the challenges that each has provided imposingly and has accumulated his goals-to-game quantitative relation within the process.

And since his switch back to France, the injury issues that frustratingly punctuated his time at Parkhead have disappeared. Indeed, over 2 seasons within the Rhone valley, he has never skipped over on a matchday squad.

Although Lyon still needs him to refine his qualities in terms of his all-around game and making chances for others – he doesn’t boast a Ligue one assist nonetheless this season, though he does have 2 within the Champions League – his importance to the team is currently predominate.

With key attackers Memphis Depay and Jeff Reine-Adelaide having picked up season-ending injuries within the same match against Rennes last month, it’s very little surprise that OL has railed against suggestions that they could sell the offensive ace over the course of the consequent month.

“Lyon is awake to news relayed by the media that implies Moussa Dembele may interest different clubs throughout this transfer window,” the club aforesaid in an official statement that came within the wake of reports that they had rebuffed a €40 million (£34m/$45m) from the Stamford Bridge side.

“OL would love to affirm its want, as within the summer of 2019, to keep Moussa Dembele.

“The club has full confidence in Moussa and can count on him notably to create a triple-crown team for seasons to come.”

Wishes don’t continuously come true, though, and Chelsea is going to be acutely aware that if they’ll find the resources a move might nonetheless be attainable.

With three-and-a-half years left to run on his deal and OL still competitory within the Champions League, during which they’ll face Juventus over 2 legs within the spring, it might surely take a mammoth bid to prise the forward away, notably as Manchester United and Arsenal stay closely connected along with his services.

Dembele has nonetheless to create his full France debut once a sparkling run within the Under-21s, however, it’s surely solely a matter of time before the triggerman seems for the world champions.

Forcing his way into the national set-up before euro 2020 begins in June seems an extended shot, however displacing Giroud at Stamford Bridge – the very man he will need to oust in Didier Deschamps’ plans – would definitely be a step towards that.

And with Lyon’s supporters in open war against the club and seeking to leap on any error from player or workers, moving on may well be a lovely proposition at this moment.

While a recede to London would be in person symbolic as his career and name still grow, it might even be another step towards Lampard’s regeneration project with the Blues.