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According to Italian journalist Matteo Moreto, Chelsea have rejected the chance to sell Christian Pulisic to Juventus as part of a Matthijs De Ligt swap deal.
Chelsea have recently lost two center-backs in the form of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. Both players have joined the Spanish League on free transfers. As a result, they are expected to sign at least one center-back this summer and have been continuously linked with De Ligt.
The Dutch defender is still only 22 and under contract at Juventus until 2024. As a result, the Italian giants have asked for a fee of €80-100 million. De Ligt is rumored to want a move to Bayern Munich, who as a result are considered the frontrunners. However, Chelsea are also in constant touch with Juventus and are working to finalize a deal.
The likes of Manchester City and Manchester United are also understood to be interested and are paying attention on the developments.
Chelsea and Bayern Munich emerge as frontrunners for Matthijs De Ligt
Chelsea are in dire need of a starting center-back alongside Thiago Silva. The Blues have the financial capability to match any offer but it is the player who has been rumored to want a different move. This has allowed Bayern Munich to continue negotiations.
Matthijs De Ligt reportedly had contacts with both Julian Nagelsmann and chairman Hasan Salihamidžić. The player has reportedly been left impressed with the conversations and is willing to join the German club.
Bayern Munich are close to losing Robert Lewandowski but have already signed the likes of Sadio Mane and Ryan Gravenberch. The German club have also been linked with a late move for Cristiano Ronaldo, which will make sense, especially in the event of Lewandowski’s departure.
The Blues, on the other hand, are themselves considering a move for Cristiano Ronaldo, however, it looks unlikely. Chelsea could have made things easier with respect to Matthijs De Ligt but the English club do not want to lose Christian Pulisic.
The American is still only 23 and has produced six goals and three assists in 30 appearances across all competitions. While having a center-back is a priority, it will be interesting to see whether the Blues are able to wrestle off interest from other teams and finalize a move for De Ligt.
