Bafetimbi Gomis

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Chelsea Football Club will make an offer for Bafetimbi Gomis which St Etienne will find it hard to refuse.

The 22-year-old striker has been described in France as the new Didier Drogba, and with the original expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, he would make the ideal replacement.

Arsenal and Newcastle United have been linked with the French international only to back off following his decision to sign a new contract with Les Verts, but this won’t dissuade Roman Abramovich.

The Blues owner, still without a manager, is determined to land Gomis before he becomes a target for a host of clubs across Europe, and he is convinced a bid of £20million will be enough to land his man.

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[BlueLion. 21,491]

Not a bad player, scored 16 goals for Les Verts this season. But he signed a new deal at St Etienne.

Les Verts star stays in Ligue 1

Despite a cluster of top European clubs reportedly seeking his signature, St Etienne's exciting young international striker Bafetimbi Gomis is the latest French star to commit his immediate future to Ligue 1 by signing a contract extension.

Before leaving for his first taste of competitive senior international action at Euro 2008, Gomis penned a one-year extension with St Etienne that keeps him with Les Verts until 2012.

In particular, the 22-year-old, had been strongly linked with a move to Newcastle United in the English Premier League - not surprising, as he is currently at the top of his game after having scored 16 goals in Ligue 1 this term.

ASSE were keen to keep Gomis for their UEFA Cup campaign in 2008/09, and he was equally keen to remain with the club he joined as a junior in 2001.

He told the club's website: "I am very happy to remain at St Etienne and to extend my adventure with my formative club. My next aim is to claim a place in the Champions League with Les Verts.

"My priority was always to remain at St Etienne and it was important for me to sort out my personal position before the start of Euro 2008."

Coach Laurent Roussey added: "We are all very happy. Bafe is an important element of our team. The fact that he remains with us and that the club directors have done what was necessary, shows that St Etienne have ambition."

Source: www.frenchleague.com