Chelsea transfer news: Blues 'working on permanent exit' for David Datro Fofana as three clubs eye January deal

Chelsea are reportedly looking to facilitate the permanent exit of David Datro Fofana.

During the early days of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital era, the Blues paid just under £11m to sign Datro Fofana from Molde.

However, since making four appearances under Graham Potter and Frank Lampard, the Ivorian has spent an array of loans elsewhere.

Periods have been spent at Union Berlin, Burnley, Goztepe and current team Fatih Karagumruk, where he has seven goals from 14 appearances.

Nevertheless, as per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, both Chelsea and Fofana are interested in sorting a long-term solution.

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Which clubs want Datro Fofana?

Romano alleges that Derby County, Celtic and Royal Antwerp are all admirers of the 23-year-old.

Celtic are in the market for fresh faces to bolster their attack at a time when they are trailing leaders Hearts in the Scottish Premiership table.

Derby are fringe playoff contenders in the Championship, while Antwerp find themselves down in seventh spot in the Belgian Pro League.

While a potential transfer fee is not mentioned, Chelsea would make a loss on their accounts if they do not generate somewhere in the region of £5m to £7m from Datro Fofana's sale.

Nevertheless, in three years since joining Chelsea, he has contributed 13 goals from 59 appearances across spells at five clubs.

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Would Chelsea be willing to accept financial loss on Datro Fofana?

Chelsea have recently experienced difficulties in complying with the Premier League's and UEFA's financial regulations.

As such, they remain under observation from the latter, but they are allegedly in line to generate somewhere in the region of £7m through a sell-on clause if Conor Gallagher completes a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.

Therefore, softening their stance over a fee for Datro Fofana is a possibility, albeit with the likely inclusion of a sell-on clause being included in any transfer with the player still just 23 years of age.