Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign one striker from Ligue 1 recently. Emanuel Emegha is set to join the club from Strasbourg next summer, although, considering the reaction of their fans to the news, perhaps the move could be moved forward to January. And already, it looks like another rising centre-forward in the French top flight has caught the attention of the Blues.
Chelsea have been prolific in recent years when it comes to signing youngsters from across the globe. Of course, Ligue 1 have produced some of the best talents in the world in recent times and that is not expected to stop.
As reported by Fichajes, Chelsea have now set their sights on one of the most interesting prospects in French football, Mohamed Kader Meite. The Rennes striker's performance has been enough to attract the attention of several European clubs, but it's the Blues who have shown the most keen interest in signing him in the near future.
That would not come as a surprise to anybody who has followed Chelsea in recent years. They seem to be intent on picking up the best talents in world football. But three-plus years into this project, has it been worth it?
Chelsea want to sign French striker shining for Rennes
Meite is just 17 years of age but is already playing first-team football for Rennes. He has made 18 appearances for the club, scoring three goals and providing an assist in 657 minutes of football in total.
Of course, Rennes have a fantastic record when it comes to developing players. Just ask the most recent Ballon d'Or winner, Ousmane Dembele, who came through the French club before reaching his potential at Paris Saint-Germain.
So, Meite could prove to be a fantastic talent down the line. The issue is not with signing a player like him. The problem lies with Chelsea completely overlooking the need for experienced and proven players, and trying to build a team with highly-rated youngsters. Perhaps that could work on FIFA, but not in real life, as we are seeing right now, as the Blues stumble out of the gates soon after winning the Club World Cup.