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Chelsea are reportedly close to completing a deal for AS Monaco defender Benoit Badiashile. According to French newspaper L'Equipe, the Blues have offered €35 million for the player, but Monaco are seeking €40 million.
The London club are said to be in the lead for Badiashile, as Barcelona are only considering a summer move. Meanwhile, Manchester United are currently not as interested.
Badiashile's potential departure is now a hot topic at Monaco, with the Blues continuing to negotiate and believed to be close to reaching a deal.
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In addition to Badiashile, Chelsea are reportedly also interested in acquiring Lyon defender Castello Lukeba. The Premier League team made a €43 million offer for Lukeba in the summer, but it was rejected by Lyon. The French side are looking to build their defense around the 20-year-old.
Lyon's refusal to sell Lukeba has reportedly led the Blues to target Badiashile as an alternative option.
The Stamford Bridge outfit are looking to bolster their defense with a defensive acquisition. The Blues have had struggles defensively this season, having conceded 17 goals in 15 Premier League games. This has contributed to their inconsistent form and current mid-table position in the league, nearly 20 points behind Arsenal.
The west London side will hope that the signing of a new defender will help stabilize the defense.
Chelsea prepare disrupt Arsenal's transfer window, snatch up Mykhailo Mudryk
Chelsea may disrupt Arsenal's plans to acquire Mykhailo Mudryk, a winger for Shakhtar Donetsk, according to The Guardian. Blues co-owner Todd Boehly is reportedly considering making a move for Mudryk, who has been a target for Arsenal.
The Gunners already have an offer for the young winger rejected by Shakhtar, but they are not backing down from the possibility of a deal. However, if Chelsea enter the picture, Arsenal may have to reconsider their pursuit of Mudryk.
If the Blues do decide to make a move for Mudryk, it would likely mean war with the Gunners. The latter have been eager to bolster their attacking options in recent weeks following Gabriel Jesus' knee injury.
Either way, it looks like Mudryk will have no shortage of top-level suitors this summer.
He has scored 10 goals and provided six assists in 18 games across competitions this season for Shakhtar Donetsk.
