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Chelsea are prepared to splurge an eye-popping £85 million to sign Wesley Fofana from Leicester City this summer, as per The Sun (via Daily Star). If the transfer goes through, it would make the 21-year-old the world’s most expensive defender, breaking Harry Maguire’s record (£80 million) set in 2019.
Following the departures of centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, the Blues brought in Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli on a reported £33 million deal. Manager Thomas Tuchel, though, is not satisfied with his options at the back and has identified Fofana as his top target this summer.
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers considers Fofana to be an integral player but could sanction his sale for a blockbuster offer. In 2019, the Foxes sold Harry Maguire to Manchester United on a record transfer fee for a defender. It's believed they could let Fofana leave only if a bigger offer comes along.
Chelsea reportedly tried their luck with a £60 million offer for Fofana last week, but Leicester were quick to reject that. The Pensioners could try again with another offer under the £85 million mark, but their desperation could see them eventually dish out that amount. New Blues owner Todd Boehly is eager to bolster his backline as quickly as possible.
Fofana, who joined Leicester from St. Etienne in 2020, has featured in 50 games for the Foxes, recording a goal and an assist. His contract with Rodgers’ side expires in June 2027.
Chelsea target Wesley Fofana is mature beyond his years
Wesley Fofana is one of the most technically sound centre-backs in the Premier League. He's calm and collected in possession, reads the game well and is a very efficient distributor of the ball. His anticipation is also on point, and he has shown a knack of venturing into the opposition third whenever an opportunity presents itself.
Having lost Antonio Rudiger, Tuchel’s side lack a centre-back who can heavily contribute in the build-up play. Fofana, who has shown immense quality in that area, could fill in for the German and function as an auxiliary forward for the Blues.
