Chelsea linked with highly-rated Ibrahim Adel
Chelsea spent £52m on Christopher Nkunku but are still after another forward this summer if reports are to be believed. Graeme Bailey of 90min says the Blues are interested in Ibrahim Adel who was recommended to Liverpool by Mohamed Salah.
The 22-year-old, who currently plays for Pyramids FC, is highly-rated in Egypt and was named Player of the Tournament at the U23 Africa Cup of Nations, but it remains to seen where he’d fit in the side given all the options available to Mauricio Pochettino.
In addition to new-boy Nkunku, Chelsea have Raheem Sterling, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, Noni Madueke, Diego Moreira and the returning Callum Hudson-Odoi at their disposal, but are expected to trim the playing squad ahead of the new campaign.
Ziyech failed to score in 24 appearances last season and has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. Pulisic is nearing a move to AC Milan. Madueke won the U21 European Championship with England but may not see much playing time for Chelsea due to the competition for places. Moreira only joined this summer and is very inexperienced, and Hudson-Odoi has been linked with a move away.
Adel isn’t likely to push Nkunku, Sterling and Mudryk out of the starting eleven, so it makes little sense for Pochettino to pursue him. The 22-year-old has made 108 appearances in all competitions for Pyramids, scoring 26 goals with nine assists. Adel netted only four times last season, however, so he’s not been prolific as Chelsea will have hoped.
The West Londoners scored 38 goals in as many Premier League games, so they need tried and tested attackers to turn things around. Adel captained Egypt’s U23s as they reached the final of the African Cup of Nations, but his side fell short to Morocco.
Pyramids’ most expensive sale was Carlos Eduardo in 2018/19, joining Palmeiras for €5.5m (£4.7m), so Adel won’t break the bank if granted a move away.
