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What's the rumour?
According to a report in AS, Premier League club Chelsea have slapped a €60 million price tag on Marcos Alonso to put an end to the interests from the Spanish clubs Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
The report also states that, should Alonso decide to leave Chelsea, he would only be interested in a return to Madrid – as he played in both Real and Atleti’s youth academies.
In case you didn't know
Alonso, 27, has become a reğular starter for Chelsea on the left flank after arriving from Fiorentina in 2016.
The Spanish international is understood to be a target for Real and Atletico in the closing days of their summer transfer window, with the rival clubs both keeping close tabs on him lately.
The heart of the matter
The full-back has been one of the standout performers for Chelsea for last couple of years and scored the winner against Arsenal during the weekend.
With the Spanish transfer window set to shut at the end of the month, both Real and Atletico are reportedly interested in acquiring his services to bolster their ranks for the current season.
Real, after Theo Hernandez's loan move to Real Sociedad, have limited depth at left-back position and manager Julen Lopetegui thinks the Chelsea man could be an ideal reinforcement to the back-line, while Filipe Luis' reported links with PSG have triggered Atletico's interest in Alonso.
However, he is first choice at the London club and is rated highly by new boss Maurizio Sarri. Given the fact that Chelsea can no longer bring in a replacement, they wouldn't like to let go of him at this juncture.
Rumour rating/Probability: 5/10
Considering Alonso's recent exploits and his importance in Chelsea squad, such a price tag to keep him at the club makes sense. However, AS is not the most credible source in sports reporting and therefore this news should be taken with a pinch of salt.
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What's next?
As things stand, Alonso, notwithstanding the interest from the big Madrid clubs, is likely to stay at Stamford Bridge. The new price tag would most certainly ensure that.
