Malo Gusto is now being treated like a summer transfer story, not a fixed part of Chelsea's right side. His representatives have held exploratory talks with multiple clubs, including Manchester City, while Chelsea's £75m valuation and their move for Marco Palestra have made a possible exit feel more realistic than it did a week ago.

Chelsea's price tag and right-back reshuffle

Chelsea have placed a £75m price tag on Gusto, and they have also agreed a deal in principle to sign Atalanta's Palestra for a fee in excess of £43m. That is a pretty clear sign that the club are at least open to reshaping the position, even if they are not forcing Gusto out.

The French defender's recent numbers do not explain the valuation on their own. His latest available performance score is 6.96, and his most recent tracked appearance in the data lasted only 7 minutes. Chelsea finished 10th in the Premier League last season, so there is obvious pressure to make the squad more efficient, but this is still a market decision first and a form decision second.

City's interest is real, but not leading the queue

City's side of the story is more cautious. BBC Sport sources say that while there is interest in Gusto, he is not a leading candidate at this stage of the transfer window. That sits alongside the more general point that Pep Guardiola has been working without a natural right-back since Kyle Walker left the club in January 2025.

Guardiola's own praise for Matheus Nunes gives the wider context. He said Nunes was becoming "one of the best right-backs in the world", and Nunes had 7 assists and 1 goal in the Premier League last season. City finished 2nd in the Premier League, so the club can afford to be selective rather than rushed.

The sensible reading is that Gusto is on the market in a meaningful way, but not yet at the front of City's list. Chelsea's valuation and Palestra move are doing most of the work here, and the next step is whether one of the clubs that has spoken to his camp turns exploratory interest into a proper bid.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →