Bristol City could be set for a healthy financial windfall following transfer speculation that Chelsea are eyeing a summer move for Adam Webster.
The Brighton centre-back has enjoyed another brilliant season under Graham Potter and pundits have even backed him for a call-up to the England squad for their double-header of friendlies next month against Switzerland and Ivory Coast.
Reported by The Mirror, Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel could open his cheque book to sign the 27-year-old as he eyes defensive reinforcements at the end of the season. Current centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen are out of contract in the summer.
Webster's price-tag has rocketed following his displays in the Premier League since leaving The Robins for The Seagulls in 2019. City signed the centre-back from Ipswich for £3.5m with the potential to rise to £8m in 2018 and he instantly became a fan favourite by winning the club's Player of the Year in his debut season at Ashton Gate.
He earned a £20m move to Brighton just a year later to become the club's record-signing and has gone on to cement his reputation as one of the Premier League's most reliable centre-backs.
With over four years left on his contract with Brighton, he would certainly not leave the Amex cheaply and it would surely take a minimum offer of around £50m to even tempt Potter into cashing in.
When owner Steve Lansdown sanctioned the deal to let Webster leave, he included a sell-on clause on any profit made from Brighton's sale. We believe that could be between 10 and 20 per cent which has the potential to be a welcome cash injection in the summer.
City are being forced to keep finances tight after posting losses of £38.4m which was emphasised in January when Timm Klose was the one and only arrival on a free transfer.
After the defeat to Swansea on Sunday, manager Nigel Pearson gave a strong indication that changes will be made in the summer to his squad after running out of patience with certain individuals making the same mistakes.
Therefore any cash injection would be a welcome boost to the coffers but it is unlikely to prevent the sale of one of City's star assets to help balance the books.
Han-Noah Messengo could be that player with the midfielder yet to agree a new contract that currently expires in the summer of 2023. City cannot afford to lose him for nothing and will therefore have to cash in or risk letting him leave on a free transfer.
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