Chelsea has slapped a £75 million price tag on Malo Gusto, effectively telling Manchester City and anyone else sniffing around that the French right-back isn’t going anywhere. The club has no plans to actively sell the 22-year-old defender, though in football, every player has a price.
Here’s the thing about that £75 million figure: Transfermarkt currently lists Gusto’s market value at €35 million. Chelsea is essentially asking for more than double what independent valuators think he’s worth.
The economics of saying “no” loudly
Gusto arrived at Stamford Bridge from Lyon in January 2023 for a reported €30 million guaranteed fee, with an additional €10 million in potential bonuses tied to performance milestones. Following the transfer, he was loaned back to Lyon for the remainder of the season.
The defender is under contract until 2030. When a club holds a player on a long-term deal, they don’t need to sell, and they certainly don’t need to negotiate from a position of weakness.
