Chelsea have reportedly joined Galatasaray in the race to sign Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari. The attacking midfielder has been an integral part of Fabian Hurzeler’s team, which has scored the most goals in the Premier League (23) this season, six more than Chelsea.

Ayari is set to be out of contract next summer, though the Seagulls have the option to extend his deal by a further year. They are also in negotiations over a long-term extension, but TEAMtalk has reported that talks have stalled.

This leaves the door open for other teams to pursue a move for the Sweden international. Chelsea are said to be among those, particularly given sporting director Paul Winstanley knows the 23-year-old well from his time at Brighton.

Ayari would obviously be an appealing signing on a cut-price free transfer, but there are several better options. Indeed, the Blues should instead target another Brighton midfielder who knows head coach Xabi Alonso well from their time at Real Madrid.

Chelsea should target Chema Andres instead of Yasin Ayari

Chelsea already have several elite No. 10s, with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers starting in Xabi Alonso’s 3-4-2-1 system, and Joao Pedro and Estevao Willian can also play there. While Yasin Ayari could provide useful depth, the Blues arguably have more pressing needs elsewhere in midfield.

Finding a central midfielder who can partner Moises Caicedo should be a priority, with Bournemouth’s Alex Scott among the players linked with a move to Stamford Bridge. However, there are some exciting alternatives, including Brighton’s Chema Andres, who only joined the Seagulls from Stuttgart this summer.

The Spaniard would arguably be a better fit for Chelsea’s needs than Ayari. Standing at 6ft 4in, Andres has the physical presence to protect the defence and offers a similar profile to former Blues great Nemanja Matic.

The Spaniard is also a more complete midfielder, capable of contributing defensively while still offering an attacking threat. Andres has recorded more tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes than Ayari in the 2026/27 season, while also winning more ground duels per game.

Meanwhile, Andres has registered one goal and one assist, compared with Ayari’s two goals and no assists. However, his superior defensive numbers suggest he could offer Chelsea greater balance in the middle of the pitch, particularly alongside Caicedo.

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Chema Andres has an existing relationship with Xabi Alonso

Another reason Chelsea should target Chema Andres is his existing relationship with Xabi Alonso. The midfielder joined Real Madrid’s academy aged 13 in 2018, where Alonso became his first coach at Under-14 level.

In an interview with AS, Andres recalled scoring the first goal of Alonso’s managerial career in their first training session. The 21-year-old also remembers being stunned by Alonso’s passing ability.

“When training sessions finished, he would stay behind practising passes to the goalkeepers or long balls that went straight to their feet; it was spectacular,” Andres said. “He would have us practise with him, but of course, there was no comparison between his passes and ours.”

Their previous relationship could give Andres an advantage if Alonso wants to strengthen Chelsea’s midfield, with the youngster already familiar with the coach’s methods and footballing philosophy.