Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Leandro Trossard has insisted that any talk surrounding a move to Chelsea can wait until after the 2022 World Cup.
The versatile Belgium international has shone for the Seagulls during the early stages of the season, recording five goals and two assists from nine Premier League outings.
Trossard's haul includes a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw with Liverpool, which saw him become only the third player in history to score a Premier League hat-trick against the Reds at Anfield.
The 27-year-old now has a total of 23 goals and 13 assists in 113 appearances for Brighton since signing from Genk in 2019, but he is still under the same terms he signed three years ago.
Trossard's deal at the Amex Stadium expires at the end of the season, and he previously admitted that he would be open to a move to Chelsea after Graham Potter's switch to Stamford Bridge.
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"Our coach has now left for Chelsea, but speculations about me following him are pointless. If the opportunity arises, I want to go. But I do want to play and not sit on the couch," Trossard told reporters.
Trossard was recently asked about links to Chelsea again by Play Sports, but he is not prepared to add fuel to the fire surrounding his future before the World Cup is over.
"It's very difficult to answer that. That will have to wait until [after the World Cup]," the Belgian responded. "I'm not on it at all right now. Brighton and the World Cup are the next goals. Afterwards, we'll see where it ends."
Chelsea are apparently facing competition to land the attacker's signature, though, as Atletico Madrid have also been credited with an interest in his services.
Trossard has recorded five goals and three assists in 21 appearances for the Belgian national team and is expected to be on the plane to Qatar with Roberto Martinez's side next month.
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The Red Devils will compete in Group F against Canada, Morocco and Croatia and will kick off their bid for World Cup glory against the Canucks on November 23.
Trossard's efforts have helped Roberto De Zerbi's take 14 points from their opening nine Premier League games to sit seventh in the table - just five points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea.
The Seagulls could temporarily rise as high as fifth with victory over basement side Nottingham Forest on Tuesday evening, where Trossard will be expected to start.
Following Brighton's showdown with Nottingham Forest, Chelsea will aim to consolidate their place in the top four away to Brentford, who beat the Seagulls 2-0 last Friday.
Ben Knapton
