Chelsea have reportedly drawn up a three-man shortlist of potential defensive targets as several key figures run down their contracts.
On the surface of it, all is well at Stamford Bridge at current. The Blues are top of the Premier League and are still competing on five fronts, having already won the UEFA Super Cup earlier in the campaign.
However, there’s trouble brewing behind the scenes, with Thiago Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger all out of contract come the summer of 2022.
While Marina Granovskaia will be working tirelessly to ensure that some of the four stick around at Stamford Bridge, she also ought to be preparing contingency plans in case they don’t.
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According to Eurosport, Chelsea have identified three potential centre-back targets to ensure all bases are covered: Jules Kounde (Sevilla), Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus) and Pau Torres (Villarreal).
While all three are excellent players and are all younger than those currently featuring in Chelsea’s defence, Thomas Tuchel will be well aware that the grass is not always greener.
Chelsea have had one of the best defensive lines in Europe since the German took the reins back in January. It would be illogical to break it up, no matter who the replacements could be.