Chelsea are said to be "serious" about signing Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus as an alternative to Jules Kounde this summer.
De Ligt is reportedly unhappy with Juventus' league performance in the past two seasons and is considering his future with the Old Lady. The Blues have been heavily linked with a move for Kounde but the 23-year-old picked up an injury whilst on international duty which could scupper a potential move to Stamford Bridge.
Both Chelsea and Liverpool are rumoured to be interested in signing the Dutch defender this summer, whilst Inter Milan's Milan Skriniar has also been linked with a move to Thomas Tuchel's side. De Ligt signed for Juve in 2019 after impressing at Ajax and is set to fill the void left by club legend Giorgio Chiellini when the Italian moves to the MLS this summer.
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According to a report from Italian outlet Calicomercato, Chelsea have been interested in De Ligt for a long time and are 'serious' about making a potential move for the 22-year-old if contract negotiations with Juventus continue to prove difficult. Liverpool have also registered an interest in the defender with the Reds reportedly keen to pair De Ligt with his Dutch compatriot Virgil van Dijk, while Manchester United have also been linked with De Ligt's former manager at Ajax Erik ten Hag taking over at Old Trafford.
The Juve defender has been unhappy with the club's consecutive fourth place finishes in Serie A and is considering his options this summer. The 22-year-old reportedly wants to guarantee himself an easier way out of Turin by lowering his release clause significantly, but talks are progressing at 'walking pace'.
Chelsea face a crucial summer transfer window in which there are expected to be plenty of incomings and outgoings. Todd Boehly will be hoping for a strong start to his tenure following the completion of his £4.25billion takeover at Stamford Bridge.
