Chelsea starlet set for contract talks as Man Utd, Arsenal show interest

Rob McCarthy

Chelsea are reportedly set to re-open contract talks with young attacker Charly Musonda, as both Manchester United and Arsenal have shown interest in the player.

The Belgian, who has been out on loan at Spanish side Real Betis for the last two years, made his full debut for the Blues and scored the third goal in the recent 5-1 League Cup win over Nottingham Forest.

The report in the London Evening Standard claims that Arsenal, United and Celtic are all keen on the 20-year-old and that has sparked Chelsea into trying to secure the player’s future.

The Blues had initially postponed contract talks at the end of last season, with a view to selling the player, but Antonio Conte is said to have been impressed with Musonda’s progress and wants to keep him.

Conte was hugely impressed by Musonda’s performance against Forest and has reportedly told the player that he can become a regular in Chelsea’s first-team squad.

Chelsea are not exactly renowned for bringing through younger players in recent years but there seems to have been a change of emphasis since Conte took charge at Stamford Bridge, and Musonda seems set to disappoint the three clubs chasing him and commit his future to the reigning Premier League champions.