Chelsea are in talks over the signing of Leicester City defender.
Image source: skysports.com
Chelsea are reportedly in talks over the signing of Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell. The English defender has been long linked with a move to Stamford Bridge while the Foxes value him around £80m.
The Blues appear to be in mission with their transfer spree as they have already announced the signings of Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner, their recent capture from Leipzig, while the summer transfer window hasn’t opened yet.
And it doesn’t stop here. The Blues have been linked with a truckload of new names as Frank Lampard is poised for an overhaul. Leicester’s Chilwell is one among them, who has been identified as the perfect candidate to strengthen the left-back position. FC Porto’s Alex Telles is another target for Chelsea but Ligue 1 giants PSG are standing in the way for the Brazilian’s signature.
Foxes’ boss Brendan Rodgers has also opened about the transfer speculation of Chilwell.
“He can be one of the world’s best left-backs. He’s a huge talent and I can only see him getting better.” (h/t The Daily Express)
“He knows what it takes to become an elite player. He can get that here at Leicester City. I’ve been in the game long enough to understand where the game is at for players.
“I recognise players may look beyond Leicester City Football Club but I’ve never felt that was the case with Ben.
“I can say that, but of course players and agents may have other ambitions. But I’m always pretty relaxed about it.
Chelsea’s increasing need for a left-back
Frank Lampard had been a mixed bag in his first season as the manager at the Stamford Bridge, considering how the club’s results have been sporadic and the failure in the Champions League.
While Lampard can take the full-credit for implementing an attacking-minded style of play coupled with the rise of young talents – thanks to the transfer ban – the defensive liabilities were manifest for most of the season.
The left-back conundrum remains unsolved as both Marcos Alonso and Emerson have been linked with a move away from the club, with the latter one being wanted by Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri. Also, both the players have been underwhelming this season although Alonso looked better on occasions.
Chilwell fits the mould of a perfect modern-day full-back, compromising both the defence and the attack. The 23-year-old has been one of the prominent fixtures of the Foxes, playing since 2015. His success at the club level has also earned him 11 international caps so far.
While Chilwell can be a productive signing for the Blues in the transfer window, given their need to solidify the left-back position, it remains to be seen whether they would be able to spend a large sum of money for the Three Lions international alone.
Chilwell will be on focus once again as Leicester will play against Watford on Saturday.
