Chelsea eyeing swoop for 18-year-old defensive starlet from Bundesliga club

Chelsea are one of the clubs interested in signing 18-year-old Matthew Bondswell

According to a report by The Telegraph (h/t Mirror), Chelsea are interested in RB Leipzig’s 18-year-old left-back Matthew Bondswell.

The youngster left the Nottingham Forest U-18s and joined the Bundesliga club RB Leipzig in 2018. He is currently on loan to second-tier Dutch side FC Dordecht.

The Englishman is tipped to be a potential understudy to Chelsea’s first-choice left-back Ben Chilwell. Chelsea do have ample cover in the left-back area, but both Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri are linked with a move away from the club. (h/t Metro)

Alonso and Emerson have both been linked with a return to Italy in the upcoming transfer windows and Chelsea could have a void to fill in the left-back spot if the out-of-favor duo is to depart.

Bondswell is yet to have a taste of first-tier football, but he has done enough to gain the attention of Chelsea. However, the Blues could be joined by West Ham United and Sporting Lisbon in the race to sign Bondswell in January. (h/t Mirror)

Bondswell could prove to be a great coup by Frank Lampard if the Blues manage to land him. If Alonso and Palmieri are indeed going to leave the club soon, the homegrown Matthew Bondswell can plug the hole at the left-back spot.

Ben Chilwell, Chelsea’s first-choice left-back, is just 23 himself but Bondswell can still stand to learn a lot from the England international.

If they do manage to secure his services, Chelsea would be hoping that Bondswell follows in the footstep of Reece James, who is another young English full-back to have broken on to the scene in the past year at Chelsea.