Thomas Tuchel has been told that Chelsea could house the best backline in the Premier League if Todd Boehly signs Wesley Fofana. The 21-year-old defender has been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge this summer as the Blues look to compensate for the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
football.london understand that Fofana feels as if Leicester City are trying to price him out of a move by requesting a world-record fee for his services. It's believed that the Frenchman has already agreed personal terms over a move to west London, but Chelsea have seen two offers – with the highest being around £70million – turned down by the Foxes.
The Blues are expected to submit a third bid in the region of £75million, and there is growing confidence that it will be accepted by their Premier League rivals, according to Fabrizio Romano. However, with just a few days until the summer transfer window slams shut, Fofana is yet to depart the King Power Stadium, and Chelsea are in a race against time.
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If the west Londoners can wrap up a deal, Glen Johnson has told Tuchel he could have one of the Premier League's best defences. Speaking to Betting Odds, the former Chelsea defender said: "It does possibly make Chelsea's defence the strongest in the Premier League on paper.
"You'd have experience and youth as well as three athletes, so you'd struggle to get better than that," Johnson added, speaking of how the Blues should've invested in the defender earlier. "Chelsea should have bought Fofana years ago.
"I'm surprised he's been at Leicester this long because a few years ago, he was one of the best defenders around, and he couldn't even get in the French team. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. They could have got him for relatively cheap a few years ago, but now they're going to have to pay double now."
If Fofana pens a deal with Chelsea, Tuchel's back-five sets ups quite nicely; Marc Cucurella, Kalidou Koulibaly, Thaigo Silva, Wesley Fofana and Reece James. The Leicester City defender's arrival could become increasingly pivotal to the Blues' hopes this season, with Cesar Azpilicueta, the only player who can replace James at right centre-back.
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