It could be time for Chelsea to reconsider their offer for Juventus’ Matthijs de Ligt. The 22-year-old is in favour of leaving the Italian giants this summer. The only problem was that the Dutchman would take a chunk of Todd Boehly’s transfer budget if Juventus agreed.
Initially, it was reported that the Blues were willing to offer Timo Werner plus £38 million in exchange for De Ligt. Whilst Juventus were said to want a £60-£70 million cash addition to Timo Werner. It seems that their valuation has shifted. De Ligt has a release clause valuing him at around £103 million. According to the Mirror, Juventus are willing to negotiate down to £70 million in total. I guess the Blues could go in with their initial potential offer after all.
Whilst Todd Boehly prepares for an expensive transfer window ahead. The question now is whether or not De Ligt should be prioritised over Jules Kounde. Matthijs de Ligt is currently top of the transfer list, with Thomas Tuchel reportedly eager to see a deal struck.
READ MORE: Matthijs de Ligt could be paired with Premier League ace as Chelsea make Jules Kounde decision
The Jules Kounde saga has gone on for far too long now. Since last summer, the Blues have been trying to land the Sevilla centre-back but failed to negotiate a deal both parties agreed on. The consistent back and forth has left Chelsea in a state where they must move on to other targets - De Ligt being one of them.
A 22-year-old De Ligt has an enviable amount of experience. With 272 first-team games under his belt for club and country, he is a force to be reckoned with. In 2019, he captained his team Ajax in a Champions League knockout match, becoming the youngest ever player to do so. His do-or-die style to his game fills the void left by Antonio Rudiger.
Jules Kounde shares a similar level of fight within him in the beautiful game. His determination in 1v1s and his accelerating pace make him a key priority for Chelsea’s back line. I wouldn’t quite say he is captain material like De Ligt, but he pretty much shares similar qualities and more.
As a ball-playing centre-back, on paper, Kounde should be on the top of the list. Sevilla are seeking around £57.8m for their star defender, but the Blues are not looking to budge. It’s been a drastic turn of events. What has changed within the last month causing Chelsea to focus elsewhere? Putting his price tag and longevity of negotiations to one side, Kounde is potentially a better fit for Tuchel’s team, or so I thought.
The difference between this summer transfer window and the last is that Marina Granovskaia and Roman Abramovich are no longer in charge. Like Romelu Lukaku, could Kounde have been another one of those signings forced on the manager?
It’s all speculation that a curious Chelsea fan would deep dive into. To be honest, there is still the chance that Chelsea will sign both defenders. After all, they need all the resources in defence that they can get.
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