Jean-Michel Aulas: Moussa Dembele 'Wants to Stay' at Lyon Amid Chelsea Rumours

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has said striker Moussa Dembele "wants to stay" and win something with the French outfit despite recent reports suggesting Chelsea are hunting his signature. 

The Premier League giants are free to sign players this winter after having their transfer ban reduced, but Aulas remains adamant Lyon's frontman will not be sold in January, per the Evening Standard's Jack Rosser:

"Moussa Dembele will not leave because he wants to stay to win something with Lyon. There have been offers for him and for other players but none of those that we want to keep will leave in January."

Lyon will be particularly reluctant to sell their star after attacking gem Memphis Depay ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in December, a blow that could rule the Netherlands international out of UEFA Euro 2020.

Aulas confirmed clubs have already made bids for Dembele, 23, and Sky Sports News reporter Kaveh Solhekol reported in early January that one of those offers came from Stamford Bridge:

Tammy Abraham has made the most of his chance to finally start for his boyhood club this season, and his development has been one of the few positives to come from their transfer suspension over the summer.

The 22-year-old's form has tailed off somewhat following an extremely promising start to the campaign. The Independent highlighted him as one of numerous English strikers impressing in the Premier League this term, not to mention one who's outscored England captain Harry Kane (who is currently injured) thus far:

Dembele has scored 12 times in 26 games across all competitions this season. However, Lyon sit 12th in Ligue 1 and are in need of a major upset if they're to reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals ahead of last-16 opponents, Juventus.

Lampard already has alternative striker options in Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi, though the manager has suggested the former could leave in January if a replacement is signed:

Former Chelsea talisman Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a fan of former Fulham and Celtic star Dembele, who scored 51 times in 94 appearances for the Bhoys before he left for Lyon in 2018. He told the Daily Mail (h/t Metro's Tom Olver): 

"More importantly, he is a killer. He is a goalscorer. He lives for goals. He scores goals in different ways, with his head, with his feet, left and right. He is quick, he is strong, he can still improve, he is still very young.

"Frank will improve him with Jody Morris, in his combination play, that can be better and improved. But what you can't teach a player is being somewhere at the right time, and he has that a lot. Tammy has that as well, but at a big club you have to have a couple of strikers who are really good. You need competition."

RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner is another attacking target said to be high on Chelsea's priorities of late, but competition for his signature could be a lot more fierce, per Football.London.

The Blues are hoping to reinforce their squad after being held back from doing so over the summer, though Aulas is adamant Dembele wants to realise his title aspirations with Lyon.