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Chelsea have reportedly reached out to Bayern Munich centre-back Niklas Sule's agent about a potential move in the summer. Sule's current contract with the Bavarians expires at the end of the 2021-22 season.
According to Sport1 (via The Chelsea Chronicle), Bayern were planning to open talks with the German about a contract extension in February. However, Sule is rumored to be keen to take up a new challenge abroad and is unlikely to extend his stay at the Allianz Arena.
The report also suggests that aside from Chelsea, Barcelona and Newcastle United are interested in signing the 26-year-old. The Blues and the Blaugrana have reportedly been in touch with Sule's entourage for a while now. Both clubs need a quality centre-back, albeit for different reasons.
Thomas Tuchel's side recently managed to tie down Thiago Silva to a new deal until the end of the 2022-23 season. However, Stamford Bridge could see a mass exodus in the summer. Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta's current contracts will all expire at the end of the ongoing campaign.
All three defenders have been crucial to the Blues' success under Tuchel, which has seen them lift the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup. The Premier League giants are also in the running for the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Champions League this season.
Replacing the likes of Rudiger and Christensen will be particularly difficult as quality centre-backs in their prime don't come cheap in the market. This could force Chelsea to push hard to sign Sule on a free transfer next summer.
Chelsea target Niklas Sule has enjoyed a trophy-rich time at Bayern Munich
Sule joined Bayern Munich from TSG Hoffenheim back in 2017. He made 42 appearances for the Bavarians across all competitions in his debut season, scoring twice and assisting two more.
The 26-year-old enjoyed a good second season as well, but was troubled by injuries during the 2019-20 campaign. A cruciate ligament rupture and a knee problem meant Sule made only 16 appearances in all competitions during Bayern Munich's treble-winning season.
The 2020-21 campaign saw Sule double that number, but he still missed several games due to a torn muscle fiber. The German international also contracted COVID-19, which meant a seamless transition back into a settled Bayern team became extremely difficult.
Sule has enjoyed a better time in the ongoing season, having already racked up 25 appearances across all competitions. He has started 19 of those games, helping Bayern Munich take top spot in the Bundesliga and qualify for the Round of 16 of the Champions League.
Overall, the centre-back has made 158 appearances for the Bavarians. Sule has won four Bundesliga titles, two DFB-Pokal cups and a Champions League, in addition to picking up the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup and four German Super Cups in Bayern Munich colors.
