Chelsea target Brighton's Yasin Ayari as contract talks with Seagulls break down

Chelsea are keeping close tabs on Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari after reports emerged that contract negotiations between the Sweden international and the Premier League club have broken down, with Galatasaray among the sides competing for his signature.

Ayari has contributed two assists in six Premier League appearances for Brighton this season, and while his current deal runs until the end of the 2026-27 campaign, the Seagulls hold an extension option they are yet to activate. According to a report from TEAMtalk, that hesitation has opened the door for interested clubs to position themselves ahead of future transfer windows.

Chelsea’s interest is understood to be driven in part by sporting director Paul Winstanley, who worked as Brighton’s Head of Scouting before leaving the club in late 2022. It was Winstanley who originally alerted Brighton to Ayari’s potential, and he is now said to be keen on engineering a reunion at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are not yet in formal pursuit — they are described as monitoring the situation rather than making a concrete move — but the connection between Winstanley and the player gives Chelsea a meaningful advantage in any future negotiations.

Should a transfer materialise, Ayari would become the latest in a long line of Brighton players to move to west London. Moises Caicedo and Joao Pedro are among more than a dozen players and staff members Chelsea have recruited from the south-coast club in recent years.

Galatasaray, currently leading the Super Lig in pursuit of an unprecedented fifth consecutive Turkish top-flight title, are described as serious rivals outside of England. Saudi Pro League clubs are also said to be monitoring developments, while several unnamed Premier League sides are reportedly tracking Ayari alongside Chelsea.

With Brighton yet to trigger their extension clause and multiple suitors circling, the midfielder’s future at the Amex Stadium looks increasingly uncertain as the January transfer window approaches.