Chelsea confident of signing Ben Chilwell but fear Leicester City difficulty in transfer
Chelsea are confident that they can tempt Ben Chilwell away from Leicester City this summer, but his current employers are not going to make it easy, as they will hold out for around £80m for the left-back.
Blues boss Frank Lampard is in the market for a new left-back this year as he is not overly convinced by either Marcos Alonso or Emerson Palmieri and has regularly been fielding Cezer Azpilicueta on the left of defence, which is not his natural position.
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Chilwell was linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in January, but a summer switch was always more likely and Chelsea will make their move for the England international at the end of the season.
Goal report that the 23-year-old is interested in the move to Chelsea, where he would expect to earn notably more than his current £65,000-a-week wages, but negotiations are likely to be tough between the clubs.
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Leicester showed last summer that they cannot be pushed around in the transfer market as they successfully held out for £80m in the sale of Harry Maguire to Manchester United, making him the most expensive defender in history.
Chilwell is younger and there is no reason why they will not expect a similar fee for the left-back as they got for their central defender, given that he still has four years left on his contract at the King Power Stadium.
Lampard wants Chilwell above all other options at left-back, but he will turn to the likes of Porto’s Alex Telles or Getafe’s Marc Cucurella if a deal cannot be struck. One, if not both, of Alonso and Emerson will be leaving Stamford Bridge this summer, with the latter looking the more likely given his failure to secure a regular place in the first team throughout his time at the club.
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The Italy international has started just one Premier League game this year and it has led to his national team manager, Roberto Mancini urging him to return to Italy in search of game time ahead of next year’s European Championships.
