Chelsea battling Arsenal for “skilful” forward with a £17m release clause

Chelsea are now showing a strong interest in a “skilful” winger, but they will have to do battle for his signature with their Premier League rivals, according to a report.

Blues eyeing summer move for winger

Enzo Maresca had previously predicted that his side weren’t ready to be involved in a Premier League title race, and it seems like the manager was correct, with the Blues falling down to sixth place after their 3-0 defeat away at Brighton & Hove Albion on Friday night.

The west Londoners have spent big on new signings ever since the arrival of Todd Boehly, but Maresca may feel some new additions are necessary at the end of the season if his side are to catch up with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal.

Maresca seems particularly keen on bringing in a new winger this summer, with FC Copenhagen’s Roony Bardghji believed to be of interest, while they have also been linked with moves for the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Luis Diaz.

During the January transfer window, Chelsea tabled a £12.6m bid for Deportivo La Coruna winger Yeremay Hernandez, which was knocked back by the Spanish side – but there has now been a new update on their pursuit.

According to reports from Spain, the Blues are showing strong interest in Hernandez ahead of the summer transfer window, but there is now increased competition for his signature, with Arsenal also keen on getting a deal done.

A deal would be relatively inexpensive for either of the Premier League sides, as there is a €20m (£17m) release clause in his Deportivo contract.

The report states the 22-year-old would fit perfectly into Maresca’s system given his versatility, and Chelsea view him as a key part of their long-term project.

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“Skilful” Hernandez performing well in Spain

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has praised the winger for his performances in Spain’s second tier this season, and while providing an overview of the other skills he has at his disposal, also claimed that Hernandez has “excellent vision”.

The Deportivo star is his side’s top scorer in La Liga 2 this season, finding the back of the net on nine occasions and scoring at an average of 0.39 goals per game.

While performing well in La Liga 2 is not necessarily an indication a player would be capable of making the step up to one of the Premier League’s top clubs, the Spaniard is clearly talented, and it could be worth taking a punt.

At just £17m, signing Hernandez would be a low-risk move for Chelsea, but they will need to hope his head is not turned by Arsenal.