Chelsea are hoping to sign defender Josko Gvardiol from RB Leipzig next summer. As per reports, the Blues have already struck a deal for Christopher Nkunku from the German giants.
Chelsea will be looking to complete a double raid on RB Leipzig next summer. The Premier League giants are hoping to bring young Croatian defender Josko Gvardiol to Stamford Bridge alongside forward Christopher Nkunku.
The Premier League side are looking to rebuild under new boss Graham Potter, after having sacked Thomas Tuchel. The Blues have already started to look for options before the January transfer window starts.
Chelsea’s chairman Todd Boehly has provided his full support to Potter for his future signings. Boehly has already stated that the club will provide Potter with all the necessary resources and time for a better future.
Chelsea sign a pre-contract deal with Nkunku
Christopher Nkunku has been one of the star performers in the Bundesliga for the past few seasons. The youngster came through the youth system at Paris Saint-Germain before joining RB Leipzig in 2019. He was Bundesliga’s player of the season in the last campaign.
The player has already scored six goals in eight league game appearances this season. He has also made eight international appearances for France. The Blues are said to have a long-term interest in Nkunku. They were planning to sign the player this summer but were put off by the €100 million (£87.6 million) asking price.
His current deal with RB Leipzig runs until 2026. However, Chelsea now have the option to trigger the £52.7 million release clause set by RB Leipzig on the player.
Reports say that the 24-year-old French striker has already signed a pre-contract agreement with Chelsea. It is also said that the player completed his medicals with the team during the international break. The west Londoners have committed to the deal to avoid a transfer war with other interested clubs.
The striker recently signed an extension at Leipzig earlier this year. Nkunku said: “I’m pleased to continue wearing the RB Leipzig shirt. After our great achievement in winning the DFB-Pokal, it remained clear that my story here isn’t over yet – we want more.”
“I was really impressed with the club’s efforts to keep me, so a big thanks goes to those responsible for the trust in me and especially to Oliver Mintzlaff, with whom I was always in close contact. RB Leipzig have made a name for themselves on the international stage in recent years and have shown time and again that we can compete for titles.”
Potter looking to sign a central defender
With the forward looking set to head to Stamford Bridge, Chelsea boss Graham Potter is on the hunt for a new defender. Potter knows that he will soon have to find a suitable replacement for Thiago Silva. The Brazilian is undoubtedly one of the best defenders in Europe, but he is already 38 years old.
The board has set eyes on another RB Leipzig youngster Josko Gvardiol as the suitable replacement for the role. Gvardiol made 52 appearances for Dinamo Zagreb before signing for the Bundesliga side in 2021. He has currently made 55 appearances for Leipzig and is regarded as one of the best young defenders in Europe.
At just 20 years of age, The Croatian international is looking set to shine in the years ahead. The Blues reportedly made an £80 million bid for the central defender in the final days of this summer’s transfer window. However, Leipzig weren’t ready to sell the youngster until at least next summer.
Advanced talks for the transfer have been held, and Leipzig have reportedly put in a £43.6 million release clause for Josko Gvardiol. Chelsea seem to be interested in activating the clause as they believe the player will fit perfectly into their future plans for the club.
A new Chelsea in the making
Graham Potter is looking to rebuild Chelsea for the future, and Gvardiol looks like the perfect transfer target. Chelsea will be hoping to strike a potential deal in either the January window or next summer.
The Blues have recently started their run under Graham Potter. They won their first Premier League game under the new boss against Crystal Palace on Saturday. Aubameyang and Conor Gallagher’s strikes were enough to swing the tie in their favor.
Chelsea will next face Serie A giants AC Milan in their Champions League group fixture on Thursday. They are also to face Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday. The Wolves currently don’t have a manager after they recently sacked Bruno Lage following their defeat to West Ham United.
