Chelsea have reportedly broadened their search for a new attacking midfielder. The Blues have been heavily linked with numerous creative players this summer as Mauricio Pochettino hopes to further bolster his squad.
football.london understands that the Blues boss wants to sign somebody who can play as both a right winger and an attacking midfielder – so Emile Smith Rowe has reportedly been identified as an option. However, with the transfer window set to slam shut on Friday night, it remains to be seen whether Chelsea can wrap up a deal for for the Arsenal star before the deadline passes.
So, according to Simon Phillips, Chelsea have also considered exploring a deal to sign Marcus Edwards from Sporting. The 24-year-old midfielder, who sees his contract at the Estadio Jose Alvalade expire in 2026, featured 33 times for the Portuguese outfit in the Primeira Liga, directly contributing towards 16 goals.
Edwards also led Ruben Amorim's side to the Europa League quarter-final following a handful of superb performances against the likes of Arsenal and Juventus. While his emergence as a Chelsea target may surprise many, Pochettino forecast the playmaker's rise to superstardom a couple of years ago during their time together at Tottenham.
In 2016, the Blues boss claimed that Edwards reminded him on a young Lionel Messi, but insisted that he's still a long way from fulfilling his lofty potential. As 17-year-old, left-footed attacking midfielder, the Englishman was widely considered one of the most exciting young players in Europe.
"The qualities – it's only looks, his body and the way that he plays – remember a little bit from the beginning of Messi," said Pochettino. "He's small, he's left-footed, I remember a little bit [Erik] Lamela when he was at River Plate.
"Remember he had long hair, when he was 14, 15 years old, there is a lot of videos on YouTube that you can see, that he took the ball, didn't give a pass and shot straight away.
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"[Edwards] is a very good prospect and potentially he can be a top player, but we need to be patient and tell him that he has a lot of talent, enough talent to be a top player, a great player. But now it's how he builds his future, that's very important. And it's our responsibility to tell him."
Seven years on and Edwards has quickly become linked with an opportunity to reunite with Pochettino at Chelsea. If the Blues manage to get their hands on the winger then they may well unlock the next Messi at Stamford Bridge.
