Chelsea leading Bayern Munich in race to sign Juventus defender

Premier League powerhouses According to reports, Chelsea has beaten Bayern Munich to the signing of Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt.

Goal claims that Chelsea is still in the lead in the fight to sign Juventus center-back Matthijs de Ligt, despite interest from Bayern Munich. The Blues prioritize strengthening their center defense, and a number of players are now being connected to them.

Sevilla’s Jules Kounde has been targeted for the longest time, with the Blues making a summer move for him last year. Chelsea has retained their interest and returned for him this summer, only for the transfer saga to drag on for longer than they would have wanted.

Chelsea has thus focused their attention on other options, and de Ligt has emerged as a potential summer signing. The Blues are having to fend off interest from the German giants but continue to be in the lead for the Dutchman’s signature.

Juventus are holding out for a €120 million transfer fee for the 22-year-old defender, who joined the Serie A giants in the 2019 summer transfer window. However, they are aware that potential suitors could be put off by their asking price and could thus be convinced to sell de Ligt for a fee of around €80 million.

With just two years remaining on his contract with the Serie A giants, talks of renewal have not progressed smoothly, and a summer move looks on the cards. Juventus CEO Maurizio Arrivabene recently hinted that de Ligt ‘wants to leave the club’ and holding on to such players is ‘impossible’.

Keeping a player who wants to leave is currently difficult, according to Arrivabene. It’s not always about the money, and you don’t just order someone to go if they want to. Keeping a player is challenging, but everyone involved in the discussions needs to feel satisfied. Whoever has more cash wins.

Presnel Kimpembe, a defender for PSG, is also a target for Chelsea, and Nathan Ake, a former player who now plays for Manchester City, has also been connected with a return to Stamford Bridge. According to reports, Ake is eager to rejoin Chelsea.