Amidst their dismal form, Chelsea has joined a bevy of European giants for the signature of Leipzig standout Dayot Upamecano, according to the Daily Mail.
The French international was a hot commodity in the summer transfer window, with numerous outfits showing serious interest. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool, among others, are all currently keen on the youngster.
Upamecano ultimately stayed put prior to this season, but Leipzig plans to lower his release clause to £38 million this summer.
He was previously rated at £40m, which is actually quite the bargain for a player of this quality. However, the 22-year old signed a new deal with Julien Nagelsmann’s side last year, but with his stock consistently rising, it’s only a matter of time until Upamecano moves on to a bigger club.
Leipzig’s CEO Oliver Mintzlaff opened the door to a move for his star centre-back, which will certainly raise the eyebrows of all potential suitors.
“We have a squad that is very broad in terms of quality,” Mintzlaff said. “So we will sell top performers again if it makes financial sense and we can cope with it from a sporting point of view.
Upamecano is arguably the finest young defender on the globe right now who could instantly help any club. As for Chelsea, their preferred partnership at the back of Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma has enjoyed success this term but recently, there have been moments of vulnerability.
It’s unknown how long the Brazilian could last at Stamford Bridge given that he’s already 36 years of age. Therefore, a young, determined centre-back is definitely a priority for the Blues.
There are also doubts over the futures of Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, and Fikayo Tomori with the club, so Upamecano could be a valuable signing who can bring solidity to their defence.
The race for his signature won’t be easy though. Manchester United made the Frenchman a top priority in August and surely will be fighting for Upamecano once again this summer, while Arsenal is also keen on him.
Basically, every notable club in Europe would love to add the Leipzig starlet to their ranks, and for good reason. Upamecano is the full package, possessing every single quality you could want in a defender. He’s physical at both ground level and aerially, decent with the ball at his feet, and his pace is respectable, given Upamecano’s size.
With Leipzig opening up the possibility of cashing in on their prized possession, expect a bidding war for the player this summer. Hopefully, Chelsea can win it, but they’ll need to turn their form around and actually make a run at the title if they want any shot.
Upamecano will have a laundry list of potential suitors, so he will be most interested in going to a side where trophies are a reality.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
