Chelsea are preparing a £25m bid for a defender, who is now one of their main targets to strengthen their backline, according to a report.
Blues' defence under scrutiny
The Blues’ form has been on a downward spiral for quite some time now, and they were on the receiving end of a defeat once again on Saturday afternoon, with Marco Asensio striking late to secure all three points for Aston Villa.
Enzo Maresca’s side are without a clean sheet in their last nine Premier League outings, which is likely to be a real cause for concern, and they have started to receive criticism from members of the media.
While reporter Ryan Taylor believes the west Londoners have little to show for their heavy spending, they may be forced to fix their shaky defence by making more signings in the summer, and they have now identified a new target.
According to a report from Spain, Chelsea are determined to strengthen their defence this summer and want to sign Sevilla’s Loic Bade, identifying him as one of their main targets in addition to Marc Guehi, who has also been heavily linked with a return to Stamford Bridge.
The Blues are said to be preparing a €30m (£25m) offer for Bade, who has been a key player for Sevilla for the past 18 months, and he has now caught the eye of a number of Premier League clubs, with Aston Villa trying to sign him in January.
The Sevilla defender is not the only player on the shortlist, however, with Guehi and Jules Kounde under consideration in addition to Bade, although they are expected to be more expensive.
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The 24-year-old has been very impressive for Sevilla for quite some time, being ranked as one of the Spanish side’s best-performing players in La Liga this season, having averaged a 6.86 WhoScored match rating.
Such is the centre-back’s ability, he was previously tipped to go on to be one of the best players in the world in his position by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
With Chelsea struggling defensively, it is promising news they are in the race to sign the Frenchman, and the fact he may be available for £25m is a real bonus.
The report also mentions Guehi as a target, but the Crystal Palace captain could command a huge fee, given that Tottenham Hotspur had a £70m bid rejected in January, so Bade could be a solid low-cost alternative.