Newcastle United could now face a real battle to sign Brighton and Hove Albion defender Adam Webster after Chelsea joined the race for his signature.
That’s according to The Mirror, who claim that Chelsea are considering making a move to sign Webster this summer.
Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta are all out of contract at the end of the season and look set to leave for nothing.
That will decimate Thomas Tuchel’s defensive options and leave Chelsea needing to rebuild their depth at the back.
Webster is now emerging as a real option for Chelsea, with the 27-year-old in superb form for Brighton this season.
Webster even scored against Chelsea in January, grabbing a point for the Seagulls at the Amex Stadium.
The Daily Mail are comparing Webster to Manchester City star John Stones, and Webster could end up costing a similar fee – upwards of £40million.
Chelsea aren’t alone though, as the report notes that Newcastle have shown a real interest in signing Webster.
The Daily Express reported in January that Newcastle wanted to sign Webster alongside teammate Dan Burn during the January window.
Burn did make the move to Newcastle, but Brighton managed to stand firm and keep hold of Webster.
The chance to reunite could be appealing, but that would of course depend on Newcastle staying in the Premier League and avoiding relegation.
Chelsea’s status as Champions League regulars and Premier League title hopefuls makes them incredibly appealing.
If it came down to Chelsea or Newcastle, you could absolutely understand Webster wanting the Blues – but Newcastle’s riches and exciting project, almost akin to Chelsea in the early Roman Abramovich days, make them a threat.
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