Chelsea scouts watching 19-year-old striker who snubbed Premier League move in January - Reports

Chelsea are one of many Premier League clubs scouting for 19-year-old Stade de Reims forward Hugo Ekitike, according to 90min.com. The Ligue 1 sensation was linked with a move to Newcastle United in the January transfer window.

The Blues have one of the best scouting networks in the Premier League, and thus it's no surprise they're after one of the brightest talents in Europe. According to the aforementioned source, many English giants scouted Ekitike during Reims' 5-0 win over Bordeaux in Ligue 1 last weekend. They include Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.

The 19-year-old Ekitike scored Reims' first goal of the game in a dominant win on Saturday. It has also been reported that apart from the Premier League giants, PSG and Real Madrid are also keeping an eye on the forward.

Hugo Ekitike has had a breakout season for Reims. The 19-year-old has scored ten goals and provided three assists in 21 appearances for the Ligue 1 side across competitions. He has also been capped at France's U20 level, and is expected to rise through the ranks, based on his current form.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are renowned for their successful youth system. The Blues have produced some amazing talents in recent years. They include Mason Mount, Reece James and Tammy Abraham, among others.

It's worth mentioning that Thomas Tuchel's side have already signed a young forward in Mason Burstow in January from Charlton Athletic. The Blues have sent the 18-year-old back to Charlton for the rest of the season.

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Chelsea's forwards have had an underwhelming 2021-22 campaign

Chelsea have lacked a bonafide goalscorer this season. That is despite the club spending a club-record £97.5 million to sign Romelu Lukaku from Serie A winners Inter Milan.

Lukaku has struggled to get used to his new surroundings during his second spell at Stamford Bridge. The 28-year-old forward has scored just eight goals in 25 appearances across competitions.

Timo Werner, meanwhile, has barely featured this season after testing positive for COVID-19. The German has scored six goals in 20 appearances this campaign.

As things stand, Thomas Tuchel's side are in the UAE competing in the FIFA Club World Cup. They face Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal in the semi-final on Wednesday. Chelsea have never won the competition in their illustrious history, and will look to rectify that in the next few days.