Arsenal and Chelsea have both been handed a significant transfer setback, with Paris Saint-Germain making progress in talks over a new long-term contract for Désiré Doué.
The France international has developed into one of Europe’s most exciting young attackers and has attracted attention from several Premier League heavyweights.
Arsenal and Chelsea have both monitored his situation closely, but PSG are now moving decisively to remove any uncertainty over his future.
TEAMtalk says PSG talks are progressing
According to TEAMtalk, PSG are advancing negotiations with Doué over an extension beyond his current deal, which runs until 2029.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have all carried out checks on the 20-year-old, but each club has reportedly been given the same message: Doué is not looking to leave Paris and is willing to commit his long-term future to PSG.
That position has also been reinforced by CaughtOffside previously, which reports that Arsenal and Chelsea are facing disappointment because PSG are increasingly confident of tying the winger down.
Doué has become a central part of Luis Enrique’s preferred attack, and his versatility across both flanks and central areas makes him particularly attractive to elite clubs. TEAMtalk notes that Bayern Munich also continue to admire him after missing out on his signature in 2024.
Arsenal and Chelsea may need to move on
From Arsenal’s perspective, Doué would have been an ideal addition because he offers creativity, one-versus-one threat and the ability to operate across several attacking roles.
Chelsea’s interest makes similar sense. Xabi Alonso has a squad full of young talent, but Doué would provide another elite-level creator capable of playing between the lines or from wide areas.
The problem is that PSG simply do not need to sell.
Doué is already under contract until 2029, so an extension would give the French champions even more control. Any future approach from Arsenal or Chelsea would likely require an enormous fee, potentially well above €100million.
That changes the calculation completely.
Both clubs should continue monitoring him because situations can change quickly in football, but aggressively pursuing a player who clearly wants to stay in Paris would be poor use of time and resources.
For now, Doué looks more like a dream target than a realistic transfer opportunity.
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