The new Premier League season is just over a week away but London giants Chelsea are still scrambling in the transfer window in search of reinforcements.
After losing both Rudiger and Christensen for free over the summer, the Blues were keen on strengthening their defense and have signed world-class center-back Kalidou Koulibaly. However, another defender is needed but Tuchel's side have suffered setback after setback in this area.
The English giants thought they had won the race for highly-rated Sevilla ace Jules Kounde, but just like the Raphinha situation, Barcelona made a late intervention and beat the FIFA Club World Cup holders to the French star. But who will Todd Boehly and Co. target next?
According to recent rumors, Chelsea are looking within the Premier League for their ideal center-back and have identified their next candidate. That man is none other than Wesley Fofana, Leicester's talented defender who has been racking up rave reviews since joining the Foxes from St-Etienne back in 2020.
However, while this transfer rumor might excite the Stamford Bridge fans, Tuchel's side are facing another issue as the player is under contract until 2027. This means Leicester have all the power and have thus slapped a hefty price tag on the 21-year-old.
According to the Guardian, Brendan Rodgers' side aren't keen on selling and would likely demand £70M ($85M) to even entertain negotiations. The British news outlet add that Leicester could even demand as high as £85M ($103M) for the Frenchman, a figure that would equal the world record transfer for a defender set by Harry Maguire when he moved from the King Power Stadium to Manchester United.
Will Chelsea cough up that figure or move on to other targets? Fofana isn't the only name on their list as Kimpembe, Škriniar, and Gvardiol are all on their radar. The Blues simply need to act quickly before they kick off their Premier League season away to Everton on August 6.
