Chelsea want Kyle Walker-Peters but Southampton are confident that the former Tottenham talent won’t be returning to London this summer.
The Blues remain in the market for wing backs and are pushing ahead with a deal for Brighton and Hove Albion star Marc Cucurella.
Cucurella will compete with Ben Chilwell as Chelsea’s first-choice left wing back, but the Blues now want to add another right wing back.
Reece James needs competition and Thomas Tuchel has even hinted at playing him as a right-sided centre back, so that’s a key position for Chelsea.
Chelsea want Kyle Walker-Peters
One name Chelsea are considering is Southampton star Walker-Peters, who really impressed for the Saints last season.
The 25-year-old racked up 32 Premier League appearances last season, notching one goal and two assists in the process.
Capable of playing on the right and left, Walker-Peters has proven himself to be a quality Premier League defender.
The Telegraph note that Chelsea have now made enquiries into signing Walker-Peters this summer.
Southampton are ‘confident’ that Walker-Peters will be staying despite Chelsea’s interest, having valued him at around £35million.
Southampton saw the £32million deal Arsenal paid for Oleksandr Zinchenko and seemingly value Walker-Peters in a similar bracket.
The Saints may feel that Chelsea won’t go to that amount for Walker-Peters, but interest is mounting.
The Athletic claimed in July that Arsenal and Manchester United have both eyed up Walker-Peters as a possible signing.
That report noted that Tottenham Hotspur hold a £30million buy-back clause on Walker-Peters, having sold him to Southampton back in 2020.
Tottenham have signed a right wing back this summer in Djed Spence, so it seems unlikely that Spurs will use that clause now.
That’s certainly what Chelsea are hoping anyway, and Southampton will be looking to make a a little more money on top of that clause anyway.
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