Chelsea, Manchester City to battle for Alex Telles
According to a report from Portuguese publication Record (h/t Express), Chelsea will have to stave off competition from former PL champions Manchester City for the signing of Alex Telles.
The 27-year-old left-back has been with Porto for four years now, having signed from Turkish giants Galatasaray in 2016 and has grown into one of the most dependable full-backs in Europe.
Telles has had a prolific 2019/20 campaign, during which he has scored 13 goals and set up 12 more from 47 appearances across all competitions.
It is no secret at this point that Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is eyeing a new left-back this summer. Neither Marcos Alonso nor Emerson Palmieri have been able to make the spot their own.
As a result, Lampard has been forced to use captain Cesar Azpilicueta on the left-side of the backline on numerous occasions this term. While Ben Chilwell has been linked heavily with the club, his hefty price-tag means Telles has been eyed as an alternative. (h/t Express)
However, we will now have to face competition from Manchester City for the signing of the Brazilian international. (h/t Express)
Telles, given his ability to score and create, would be an asset in the attacking phase. At the same time, the 27-year-old is a much more reliable presence at the back than the current options at the manager’s disposal.
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Telles has a release clause of €40m (£36.4m), but with his contract expiring in less than a year, Porto are ready to accept an offer of around €25m (£22.7m). (h/t Express)
While he would be a much more affordable option than Chilwell, the interest from Manchester City does complicate things a tad. It will be interesting to see if the interest in the full-back leads to something substantial.