After winning the Champions League last season, Chelsea are now keen to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season. They are looking to add a new No 9 to their squad and was keen on Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland.
But Haaland’s
move to Chelsea seems far from materialising so they are now hoping to sign
their former player Lukaku. Romelu Lukaku has been in red hot form for Inter as
he scored 24 goals in Serie A last season as Inter lift the trophy.
That’s according
to Corriere della Sera, which claims Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is keen to
bolster Thomas Tuchel’s side with a marquee centre-forward signing.
According to Corriere della
Sera, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is keen to bolster Thomas Tuchel’s side
with a marquee centre-forward signing. He has sent his son to Italy to try and
persuade Lukaku to return to London. Abramovich Jr is currently in Milan on a
business trip, with the main aim believed to be sealing a deal for the Inter
Milan star.
Chelsea have made a monstrous
€130million (£110.6m) bid to sign Romelu Lukaku as they ramp up their search
for a No.9, according to reports in Italy.
However, Inter have confirmed
that they will not sell Lukaku this summer and that the Belgian is happy in
Italy at the moment. But it remains to be seen whether Inter can refuse the
€130million offer.
Leicester City among several clubs interested in 23-year-old
Jamaican star
A report by 90min (h/t
Independent) mentions that Leicester City are amongst a long list of clubs in
the queue for Bayer Leverkusen star, Leon Bailey. Four other Premier League
clubs in Everton, Southampton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and most recently Aston
Villa, also share an interest in the 23-year-old winger.
Bailey arrived in Europe from Jamaica in 2011 when he was
snapped up by Austrian side, Anif Jugend. After spells in Slovakia and Belgium,
Bayer Leverkusen got their hands on the exciting winger in 2017. Since then, he
has shown enough in the Bundesliga to warrant his status as a quality player,
but is he the right man for Brendan Rodgers?
Leicester can benefit from signing Leon Bailey:
The Foxes don’t have the most comfortable situation regarding
their wingers. There was a time a few years back when Riyad Mahrez set the
Premier League alight in the 2015/16 season to hand them the Premier League
title. But he has since left for Manchester City, and Leicester have arguably
struggled to fully replace the Algerian in their team.
Rachid Ghezzal, another Algerian wide man, would have offered
hope to Leicester fans when he arrived from AS Monaco in 2018. But he failed to
find a spot for himself in the starting XI and has spent the last two seasons
out on loan to Fiorentina and Besiktas respectively. He may also be on his way
out this summer.
According to Fanatik (h/t Leicester Live),
Ghezzal is wanted by both Fenerbahce and Galatasaray in Turkey, with the player
now in the final year of his contract. If the 29-year-old does depart, he would
be the second winger to leave Leicester this summer, with Cengiz Under already
linking up with Marseille for this season after his loan spell at the
King Power Stadium ended.
Moreover, Leicester also saw Demarai Gray leave for Bayer
Leverkusen this January. The English winger has since returned to the Premier
League to join Everton in a £1.7mdeal. The Foxes also have the dependable
Marc Albrighton, whom they signed from Aston Villa seven years back.
But the 31-year-old is in the last year of his deal at
Leicester, and according to The Daily Mail, has held talks with Burnley over a
potential move this summer. That leaves Harvey Barnes as a winger they can
trust for this season, but the 23-year-old cannot do it all on his own on the
wings. And Brendan Rodgers would know he needs good depth on the flanks as the
new campaign approaches.
In light of their situation, Bailey presents himself as a good
option to have in the squad. The Jamaican international, at 23, has garnered
plenty of experience for Leverkusen in the top flight as well as European
competitions and has already played in 156games for the German side. He
can slot into Rodgers’ XI and would be a long-term asset for the club – if
signed this summer.
Leon Bailey has now been directly involved in five goals in his
last two Bundesliga home games for Bayer Leverkusen.
He is also in the last two years of his deal which could
mean his current club are not in the strongest position if negotiations do
begin over a transfer. Bailey, who can play on both wings as well as down the
middle, would be a smart signing considering the gaps he can fill in
Leicester’s squad. But with other English clubs after the young winger,
Leicester should look to act fast.
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