Chelsea eyeing shock move for Fulham flop: report

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 03: Enzo Maresca, Manager of Chelsea, reacts during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Chelsea FC at Old Trafford on November 03, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Enzo Maresca's side are already weighing up their summer business (Image credit: Getty Images)

Chelsea are thought to be weighing up a move for a star who struggled at Fulham.

Rarely a transfer story passes by without the Blues finding their name in the hat, and that doesn’t appear to be slowing down this summer.

The west London club still have midfield signings from last summer struggling to get a look in, but they still want more.

Chelsea linked to current Napoli star

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte holds the Premier League trophy, 2017

Current Napoli boss Antonio Conte could be about to lose a key man to one of his former employers (Image credit: Alamy)

Since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over Chelsea, the club have tended to spend considerable sums on young prospects, tying them down to lengthy contracts to build value.

But their link to a current Napoli midfielder, who has struggled in the Premier League previously, seems to buck that trend.

Cameroon AFCON 2023 squad: Andre Frank Zambo Anguissa of Cameroon during the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations group stage match between Cameroon and Guinea at Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro on January 15, 2024 in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast. (Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Frank Anguissa spent time with Fulham a few years ago (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, Chelsea are leading the chase for Azzurri man Frank Anguissa.

Fans in England may remember the Cameroon international from his time at Fulham from 2018 to 2021, where he struggled to stamp his name on the Premier League, and was part of the Cottagers side relegated in the 2020/21 season.

Things have perked up considerably for the 29-year-old since then, however, culminating in his best season to date this term, claiming six goals and four assists in Serie A for Napoli.

The Italian outfit have him under contract under 2027, and Monaco are also believed to be interested, so Chelsea's path to his signature is not completely clear.

Fulham’s Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa

The midfielder's time at Fulham was not covered in glory

In FourFourTwo’s opinion, while Chelsea might catch the market by surprise with this move and land a cut-price deal as a result, do they really need Anguissa?

It’s difficult to see how, barring injuries, he dislodges the most expensively assembled midfield in history in Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez – and even then, he has to battle the likes of Romeo Lavia and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall waiting in the wings.

Both sides must consider whether this is truly the best move for them, but good luck to anyone trying to tame Chelsea’s chequebook

Anguissa is estimated to be worth €27m, according to Transfermarkt.

Isaac Stacey Stronge
Freelance Writer

Isaac Stacey Stronge is a freelance football writer working for FourFourTwo, Manchester United and Football League World. He has been a season ticket holder at Stockport County throughout the Hatters’ meteoric rise from the National League North to League One and is a die-hard Paddy Madden fan.