Chelsea have reportedly settled on Middlesbrough star Ben Gibson as being their top target to act as successor to John Terry when he eventually leaves.
The Blues have been linked with a whole host of defenders since Antonio Conte’s arrival last summer, but according to The Mirror, it appears as though they have settled for Gibson.
However, it will come at a hefty price, as it’s claimed that ‘Boro will not sell for anything less than £30m, with the 23-year-old forming a key part of their side as they have also ruled out the possibility of selling this month.
In turn, Chelsea will have to wait until the end of the season, at which point they are likely to have more clarity on Terry’s situation with conflicting reports over this future this week.
As noted by The Mirror, it’s claimed that the club stalwart will reject a move to Bournemouth in favour of moving to China on a lucrative deal at the end of the month.
In contrast, The Daily Mail claim that the 19-year club legend is ready to meet with Eddie Howe to discuss a possible move to the Vitality Stadium, and the Bournemouth boss is said to be confident in his ability to persuade the experienced veteran to join his squad.
The Cherries are looking to fill the void left by Nathan Ake who was recalled by Conte from his loan spell this week, while Terry knows that he won’t have much playing time in what looks likely to be his final season at Stamford Bridge with his expiring contract.
In turn, the 36-year-old could accept a move to join Howe’s side as he could also indirectly help his beloved Chelsea by plotting the downfall of their title rivals with Bournemouth.
Nevertheless, it would certainly be a strange sight to see him in anything other than a Chelsea jersey, and he’ll have to weigh up whether or not he wishes to see out his contract with little playing time, or finish his Premier League stint with regular playing time and enjoy the final few months of a possible title-winning season from a distance.