What’s the story?
Manchester United target, Victor Lindelof, is reportedly a target of Premier League rival, Chelsea. According to Mirror Football, the Swedish defender is in Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte’s shortlist, who is rumoured to make a move for the defender in the summer.
The 22-year-old Benfica defender has been pursued by many clubs and it was almost certain that he would make a move to Old Trafford earlier in the month, but the move to Manchester United seems to have stalled.
In case you didn’t know...
Lindelof is a highly-rated Swedish centre-back who moved to Portuguese giants, Benfica, in 2012. The youngster played for Benfica’s ‘B’ team and was later promoted to the senior team in 2013.
The defender has played 52 games for the senior team and has impressed with his quickness and aggression. The young centre-back made his international debut in 2016 and has represented the Swedish national team 11 times.
The heart of the matter
Lindelof was Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho’s primary target in the January window and a deal to bring him to Old Trafford looked like it was done at the start of January. Mourinho’s hesitance in bringing Lindelof to Old Trafford has alerted other clubs like Chelsea and Inter Milan.
Benfica might hike up the price of the Swedish defender in light of interest from numerous clubs, according to Mirror Football. The good form of the Phil Jones-Marcos Rojo combination is rumoured to have led Mourinho to put off the deal till the summer.
Also Read: Scout Report: Victor Lindelof - The Swedish defender Chelsea are desperate to sign
The defender is now the no. 1 target for Conte, who is looking to bolster his Chelsea squad, but the Italian will only put in a bid for the defender in the summer transfer window. Chelsea have Gary Cahill, David Luiz, César Azpilicueta, John Terry, and Kurt Zouma to play in the back three, and the return of Nathan Ake from loan means Conte has numerous options in defence.
What’s next?
It looks unlikely that Lindelof will leave Benfica in the current transfer window, in spite of the club being in severe financial crisis. Chelsea and Manchester United have a stable squad and defence which both managers would not like to change.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Conte’s Chelsea team could use a strong and quick defender like the Swedish international, who would fit into the 3-defender formation well. The Londoners have also not found a replacement for club legend, John Terry, and Lindelof could be the perfect player to fit into the big shoes of the former England captain.
