Chelsea are serious about securing talented centre-back Abakar Sylla in the coming years.

The Blues are very impressed with the young defender, who is close to signing for sister club Strasbourg.

Per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Sylla is heading to Strasbourg specifically on the orders of Chelsea's sporting directors.

They are set to pay £15 million to Club Brugge for his signature in the coming weeks.

He will then get a chance to showcase his talent in Ligue 1, which is often a great indication of whether a player can succeed in the Premier League.

Chelsea's co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are very much pursuing a multi-club model as part of their ownership.

They see having multiple teams as the key to securing the best talent from around the world.