Chelsea want £8m for 19 year old who was expected to make first team impression this summer | OneFootball

Chelsea have moved quickly and effectively in strengthening their attacking options this summer.

Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap and Joao Pedro have all joined, and numerous other players who had future transfer arranged will also join.

But one gap in the team remains – there is still no alternative for Marc Cucurella at left back. Renato Veiga did that job in the first half of last season, but was loaned out to Juventus in January, and is now up for sale.

Samuels-Smith linked with £8 move to Chelsea’s sister club

Ishe Samuels-Smith signs a new contract. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)

One player who we wanted to see given a chance as Cucurella’s backup was academy kid Ishe Samuels-Smith. The youngster has shone at youth level, and we expected this to be the summer where he got his first minutes for Enzo Maresca. He signed a new contract back in April which seemed to lock him in as a prospect.

However he was not included in the Club World Cup squad, and now we hear rumours from Bobby Vincent of Football.London that the young left back is wanted by Strasbourg.

Chelsea are asking £8m for the 19 year old, and their sister club are considering it.

The defender himself also needs to give a green light, and understandably he’s taking his time in deciding whether this would be a good career move.

ISS could have perfect next development step in France

Samuels-Smith looks a real talent, and we’re loathe to let him go. However a permanent move to Strasbourg can effectively be seen as a loan. If he does exceptionally well, you can be sure we’d be the first in line to sign him up and bring him home again.

So perhaps the right move is to let him go, and sign another player as Cucurella’s backup.