The Next Yaya Toure: Who Is Chelsea’s New Transfer Target?

With a summer transfer window ahead of us, it is almost a certainty that we can expect a handful of Chelsea marquee signings. As the Blues have nearly reached a €1.37 billion transfer expenditure over the last three years, Chairman Todd Boehly has quickly grown a reputation for splashing the cash and he may have just lined up his next transaction.

(Premier League Transfer Expenditure 2022-2025: Transfermarkt)

Chelsea are said to be leading the pack as favourites to sign Lorient midfielder Arthur Avom this summer. The Cameroonian is only 20 years old and is already being compared to a Premier League great in the ex-Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure.

Who Is He?

Born in just 2004, Arthur Avom has a selection of Premier League clubs on his tail after what has been a whirlwind season for the youngster. However, prior to his fortunes with Lorient this season, the midfielder found stardom in Cameroonian football.

Avom kickstarted his career in the Cameroon capital and his birthplace of Yaoundé. He played for a team called Fauve Azur, representing the club over 70 times as a teenager during his time there. After lighting the league up, he caught attention from French side Lorient, who at the time played in Ligue 1. Avom soon sealed the deal in France in 2023, penning down a three-year contract with the Hakes for a move which would soon ignite his career.

Only playing his football for Lorient B last season saw the midfielder earn some valuable experience in the professional football ranks, as he made 18 appearances for the feeder team in the fourth tier of French football. This season however, Avom has taken his game to the next level. The 20-year-old has stapled down his name consistently in the lineup of Lorient’s first team, making 34 appearances in all competitions this season - even grabbing two goals and four assists along the way. This season, he has helped Lorient on to winning Ligue 2 - promoting them back to the French top flight - all whilst making a recognisable name for himself across football’s extensive word of mouth.

🇨🇲🌟| Arthur Avom (Lorient, 20)
vs Ligue 2 U21 Midfielders, per 90

🥇Prog. passes comp. – 1st
🥇Prog. pass accuracy % – 1st
🥇Through passes comp. – 1st
🥇Assists – 1st
🥇Accurate crosses – 1st
🥇Crosses to box - 1st
🥇Deep completions – 1st
🥇Dribble success rate - 1st pic.twitter.com/FFL32UlTW7

— w/scout (@widescouting) May 1, 2025

It is worth noting that Arthur Avom has also made two appearances for the Cameroon national team, both while he was playing at Fauve Azur. Despite not being called up to the squad since their 2024 round of World Cup Qualifying, Avom will be hopeful that his recent performances on the pitch for Lorient have nailed him down a place for the future.

Playstyle

Arthur Avom is an energetic central midfielder who likes to break through the opposition lines to link the defence with attack. He shines through his ability to evade tight spaces by drawing in fouls or expanding the play nimbly into open pockets of space, which helps Lorient to escape dangerous scenarios on the pitch and retain the ball.

The 20-year-old is a player who loves to make a tackle to win back possession, all whilst staying on his feet and limiting all possibilities of a foul or booking. Furthermore, this knack of winning the ball back allows Avom to move the play up the pitch by picking out his attackers with neatly placed through-balls and crosses, which have created a vast array of chances this season.

(Arthur Avom Defensive and Discipline Stats 2024/25: FotMob)

Right Fit For Chelsea?

Reports suggest that Chelsea are one of a handful of clubs who have sent scouts over to watch Avom this season. Clubs such as West Ham and Aston Villa are also said to have had an eye on the youngster. Furthermore, despite the potential of a Lorient contract extension, the Cameroonian is supposedly keen to hear all offers – especially from front runners Chelsea.

This season has seen the current Chelsea midfield blossom under Enzo Maresca. Both Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández have flourished in the Blues’ recognised 4-2-3-1 formation, finding their own at the iconic Stamford Bridge. Leading on from this, the pair certainly did not come cheap. The youthful duo cost over €230 million combined in the space of seven months of each other, and that is before you even begin to mention the hefty price tags of players such as Romeo Lavia and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall contesting in the same position.

Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo were both heavily linked with Liverpool before joining Chelsea for over $270m combined.

They were instrumental in the Blues' 3-1 win over the Premier League champions 💸 pic.twitter.com/HCDbOqjU1d

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 4, 2025

After plenty of investment, the Chelsea central-midfield position is heavily sought after and one that we have seen fail many promising youngsters over the years. However, Arthur Avom is clearly a player with bags of talent under his belt. At only 20 years old, patience is key for the youngster and is a factor which has bolstered his time in Lorient, after spending a year with the B team. If he were to sign for the West London outfit, his time would come soon enough to display his talents and why he has earned the righteous accolade of being compared to Yaya Toure.