By OkayGoal 
Chelsea are set to battle with Arsenal over a deal to sign Brentford right back Michael Kayode, according to Ekrem Konur.
Kayode has had quite the experience while coming through the youth ranks at Juventus and Fiorentina. He was part of the Italian side that won the UEFA European U19 Championship in July 2023, scoring the winning goal against Portugal as a winger, and was part of the Fiorentina squad that faced Olympiacos in the 2024 UEFA Conference League final.
Having featured 49 times for the Florence-based outfit, Kayode’s defensive displays drew widespread praise, earning him an initial loan move to Brentford in January 2025, which was made permanent after he impressed.
He has featured in 35 games this season across all competitions, putting in solid defensive shifts, which have inevitably drawn attention from several top clubs, with Arsenal reportedly showing interest in the youngster in recent weeks.
However, it appears Chelsea are looking to steal a march on their London rivals for Kayode’s signature, as Konur reports that the Blues are set to battle with the Gunners for the right-back’s signature.
Despite having Reece James and Malo Gusto as right-back options at Stamford Bridge, the Club World Cup winners remain keen on adding the Italian defender to their defensive ranks, according to the report.
Battle
Aside from Arsenal, Konur adds that Liam Rosenior’s side will also battle with Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Borussia Dortmund for Kayode’s signature next summer.
While his routine, corner-kick-esque long throws may have drawn more online discussion, it is his resolute defensive displays this season that have been even more impressive for Brentford in their ambitious European pursuit.
In the ongoing campaign, the 21-year-old has been positioned among the top performers in several key defensive metrics.
His 163 duels won place him among just three fullbacks in the top ten of the most duels won in the Premier League this season, alongside Nottingham Forest’s Neco Williams (177) and Bournemouth’s Adrien Truffert (168).
Kayode has also won 61.5% of his contested aerial duels this season, which is rather surprising considering he stands at 5ft 10in, a testament to his relentlessness towards winning the ball back, whether in the air or on the ground.
Brentford have proved to be tough negotiators, so it won’t be an easy deal unless Chelsea or Arsenal fork out a fee well above his £30m Transfermarkt valuation.
