Liverpool Targets Chelsea’s Gusto: Potential Alexander-Arnold Successor

Chelsea secured a 2-1 victory against Brentford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, with goals from Marc Cucurella and Nicolas Jackson. The win puts Chelsea within two points of league leaders Liverpool and marks their fifth consecutive Premier League triumph.

While Cucurella impressed with his performance and goal, it’s the right-back Malo Gusto who has caught the eye of title rivals Liverpool. Gusto, who joined Chelsea from Lyon in January 2023 for £30.75 million, has already made 13 appearances this season and provided an assist in Chelsea’s 5-1 win over Southampton earlier in December.

Liverpool is reportedly considering a move for Gusto as a potential replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contract expires in the summer and has been linked with moves to Real Madrid and Manchester City. Chelsea currently has no intention of selling Gusto, but Liverpool may test their resolve in the upcoming transfer window.

Losing Gusto would be a significant blow to Chelsea’s title aspirations, as they would be strengthening a direct rival. The situation is reminiscent of Mohamed Salah’s transfer from Chelsea to Liverpool, where he went on to become a prolific scorer after limited opportunities at Stamford Bridge.

Gusto has proven to be a reliable and capable replacement for the injury-prone Reece James. Statistics show that Gusto outperforms James in several key areas this season:

• More minutes played (956 vs 241)
• Higher progressive passes per 90 (5.47 vs 2.96)
• More tackles won (19 vs 2)
• More blocks (18 vs 4)
• More crosses (30 vs 15)
• Higher points per match (1.92 vs 1.25)

If Chelsea are serious about their title challenge this season, they cannot afford to lose a talent like Gusto, especially to their main title rivals. The young French defender has shown great potential and could be a key player for Chelsea’s future success.