Chelsea are reportedly lining up a bid to sign Lyon forward Moussa Dembele in the January window.
Dembele’s stock has risen significantly since his £20million transfer move from Celtic last year. The 23-year-old has scored 29 goals in 62 matches across all competitions and is regarded as one of the most lethal finishers in the French Ligue 1.
Both Manchester United and Arsenal are known to be interested in Dembele and Chelsea have upped their interest in the Frenchman in recent weeks as they search the market for attacking reinforcements.
According to Sky Sports, Frank Lampard has been keeping tabs on Dembele for some time and has likened the striker to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba in private.
Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi, who have both struggled for regular minutes this seson, are expected to be on their way out of Stamford Bridge in January – and Lampard is keen to bring in replacements to ease the pressure on Tammy Abraham.
Abraham is Chelsea’s top scorer in the Premier League with 12 goals to his name since the start of the season. However, Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic are closest to the young forward with five goals apiece in the League.
Earlier this month, Lampard conceded that Chelsea are yet to replace Hazard’s goalscoring and creativity since he left to join Real Madrid.
‘There will be discussions about where we can strengthen,’ Lampard said. ‘The transfer window will be a bit fluid.
‘It is quite clear in the summer we lost Eden Hazard who has been a huge part of scoring and creating for us in the last few seasons. We need more competition in those creative areas.’
Lampard added: ‘We have found a way in the team where we can still be competitive in the league and the Champions League and going forward you ask “can we get even better in forward areas to help us to be more clinical?” We would always look at that.
‘At the moment we are just not converting enough chances but we are a work in progress and I am not here to criticise people because we have just qualified from a really tough group.’
