Malo Gusto is exploring his options to leave Chelsea this summer, with the club slapping a £75m price tag on the 23-year-old right‑back. The Frenchman’s future has come under renewed doubt after Chelsea agreed a deal in principle to sign Atalanta’s Marco Palestra, who plays in the same position, for a fee in excess of £43m.
Chelsea need to make significant player sales after finishing 10th in the Premier League and missing out on European qualification. Spain full‑back Marc Cucurella already left Stamford Bridge this summer in a deal worth £52m to join Real Madrid. Now the Spanish defender has urged Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez to make the same move, with Real Madrid pushing the Argentina international to the top of their shortlist following Jose Mourinho’s appointment at the Bernabeu. Chelsea value Fernandez at £120m.
“Chelsea defender Malo Gusto has a £75m price tag as he explores summer exit; Cucurella urges Fernandez to join Real Madrid.”
Gusto’s representatives have held exploratory talks with multiple clubs, including Manchester City. City are keen on signing a right‑back to compete with Matheus Nunes, who has excelled in the position after being converted from midfield. However, sources have told BBC Sport that, while there is interest, Gusto is not a leading candidate at this stage of the transfer window, possibly because of the £75m figure quoted by Chelsea. Any move to the Etihad would reunite Gusto with former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who left Stamford Bridge in January.
Chelsea also intend to strengthen their squad and want at least one centre‑back to arrive alongside Palestra. That has placed a number of futures in doubt, including those of Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo and Wesley Fofana. Chalobah is attracting interest from Serie A side Como, who qualified for the Champions League under Cesc Fabregas. The defender is open to the move, but the potential cost is deterring the Italians from making a formal offer.
With City without a natural right‑back since Kyle Walker left in January 2025, and Nunes now 28, the club view a new right‑back as a possibility this summer. Reports in Italy suggested City had agreed personal terms with Palestra, but instead Chelsea swooped to sign the highly‑rated defender. Gusto, who joined Chelsea from Lyon in 2023 for about £31m, now faces an uncertain future as the club pushes ahead with a rebuild.