Chelsea are reportedly eyeing a move for Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba after dropping their interest to sign Welsey Fofana, with Arsenal also keen on the Bundesliga centre-back.
According to Sky Germany, the Burkina Faso international has emerged as a target for Chelsea after their latest attempt to sign Fofana was shot down by Leicester City, who are demanding £85m for the France youth international, a fee the Blues reportedly aren’t willing to pay.
With Arsenal also reportedly interested in Tapsoba, Thomas Tuchel could now look to beat the north London side to the 23-year-old titan in the last week of the transfer window, with Chelsea desperate to sign a new defender before the end of the market next Thursday.
A talented defender labelled as ‘gargantuan’ in central defence for Leverkusen by Total Football Analysis, Tapsoba is one of the most promising centre-backs in Germany and a talent who has often been linked with a move to a bigger club over the past few years, and the Bundesliga star could now win this move in the form of Chelsea.
With time running out for Premier League clubs to complete those final deals, Chelsea could launch a very late move to sign Tapsoba with Arsenal unlikely to move for the centre-back given how much depth Mikel Arteta now has in the position for the new season, with William Saliba already an early contender for the club’s Player of the Season.
Indeed, whilst Tapsoba would be a great addition for Arsenal, Chelsea’s need for a top centre-back gives the Blues that extra edge of desperation to make a last-minute defensive signing, and with the west Londoners no longer in the race for Fofana, the Leverkusen star is an ideal alternative.
Chelsea could make huge offer to sign Tapsoba this summer
Chelsea have needed two centre-backs all summer, and whilst the Blues landed a bargain in Kalidou Koulibaly, finding a second signing has proven difficult for Tuchel, yet Tapsoba presents a good opportunity for Todd Boehly to once again splash the cash on a player the Premier League side could do with.
After all, missing out on Fofana is a huge blow for Chelsea, yet signing Tapsoba could remedy this transfer misstep given how much potential the Leverkusen star has in his locked, with the Blues also able to win one of Arsenal’s many targets this summer right from Arteta’s noses.
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