Brentford's failure to win promotion to the Premier League has reportedly handed Chelsea a significant boost in their hopes of signing Said Benrahma this summer.
The 24-year-old played an integral role in firing Brentford to the brink of the top flight for the first time since 1947, scoring 17 goals and creating nine more in 43 Championship appearances.
However, the Bees fell just short courtesy of their 2-1 playoff final defeat to Fulham on Tuesday night and football.london claims that Chelsea will now find it easier to prise the forward away from Griffin Park.
Benrahma had been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League regardless of Brentford's fate, with Chelsea one of the front-runners for his signature as a result of his fine Championship form.
The Bees are expected to demand a fee of at least £25m for the Algerian, though, while Chelsea are likely to face competition for his signature from a number of Premier League rivals.
Arsenal, Aston Villa, Leicester City and newly-promoted Leeds United are among the other top-flight clubs to have been credited with an interest in Benrahma, who joined Brentford for just £1.5m in 2018.
Barney Corkhill
