Chelsea are reportedly one of the clubs interested in a potential transfer swoop for Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt.
The Blues are mentioned as one of the contenders for De Ligt’s signature in a report from Don Balon, who suggest Barcelona are also making him a top target, but may struggle to afford the deal.
The Netherlands international is a world class centre-back with his peak years surely ahead of him, and it could be crucial for Chelsea to win the race for his signature.
The west London giants currently have Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta all heading towards the ends of their contracts, and if they end up losing these players they will surely need to spend big on replacing them.
De Ligt would also be an important signing for Barcelona, but Don Balon suggest their finances are not currently the best, so it might be a tad ambitious.
Chelsea should arguably be a more tempting destination for a player like De Ligt right now, with the 22-year-old perhaps more likely to win major trophies at Stamford Bridge.
Thomas Tuchel won the Champions League with Chelsea last season, and has the Blues challenging for the Premier League title this term, whereas Barcelona look like a team in serious decline.
Of course, a signing like De Ligt could help them turn their fortunes around, but if he’s going to leave a big name like Juventus, he’ll surely want to make sure his next career move is a significant step up.
The former Ajax man would be a big loss for Juve, but there’s no doubt that the Turin giants have had a difficult year and might now struggle to keep some of their best players.