Chelsea confident of signing Ben Chilwell for £50m
According to a report by Football Insider (h/t Express), Chelsea have made a breakthrough in their pursuit of Ben Chilwell.
The Leicester City star is at the top of the club’s shopping list for a left-back. With neither Marcos Alonso nor Emerson Palmieri impressing, Frank Lampard is keen to bring in a new left-back.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Chilwell looked to have hit a dead-end when reports emerged of Leicester seeking a world-record fee for the player. The Blues were ready to pull the plug due to the Foxes’ excessive demands.
However, according to the report, Chelsea remain confident they can land their prime target for £50m. It is a significant reduction on Leicester’s asking price of £80m.
Although the news is promising, there is still work to be done before a deal is agreed upon. The Blues to their credit are not putting all their eggs in one basket.
Chelsea have earmarked a number of potential alternatives if a move for Chilwell doesn’t pan out. This includes Ajax Amsterdam star Nicolas Tagliafico, Everton ace Lucas Digne, Real Madrid defender Sergio Reguilon and Porto full-back, Alex Telles. (h/t Express)
Chilwell for his part is keen to quit Leicester and move on. Unlike the Foxes, Chelsea have qualified for next season’s Champions League.
Despite Chilwell’s desire to move to Stamford Bridge, Leicester are under no pressure to sell. With his contract running until 2024, Leicester hold most of the aces when it comes to negotiations.
Whether a deal can be agreed for Chilwell or if Chelsea will look elsewhere remains to be seen.
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Chelsea have already signed Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner for a combined £86.4million.