Chelsea are firmly in the running to sign Ben Chilwell from Leicester, but David Alaba could be a much more sensible option.
According to The Athletic (via Sportsmole), the Blues have approached Bayern Munich to discuss whether they would be open to selling the left-back in the upcoming transfer window.
Frank Lampard and his side are on the hunt to seemingly replace Marcos Alonso ahead of next season, who has been linked to a Stamford Bridge departure. The Athletic has reported that Chilwell is the club’s ‘leading target’, but he will command a hefty transfer fee. According to the Evening Standard, Leicester have valued the 23-year-old at £80million, which could be out of the question if the Blues also want to secure big money target Kai Havertz.
As a result of the mammoth asking price, Chelsea are starting to scout out other targets, with Bayern Munich’s Alaba on the list. His current Transfermarkt value is £46.8m, which is a much friendlier amount for a defender with a lot of experience.
The Austria international boasts 380 appearances for Bayern, contributing to 78 goals in that time. He also has a Club World Cup and Champions League trophy to his name, along with nine Bundesliga titles (via Transfermarkt).
For a side pushing to compete in the Champions League next season, Alaba would be a good fit for Chelsea. If they keep up their current Premier League form, they will finish inside the top four. A veteran of the domestic game and an international star could be exactly the kind of presence the Blues need to help take them to the next level.
Chelsea will also be saving a large sum of money which they could put towards bolstering other areas of the team.
For almost half the price and with a history of silverware, the Blues would be missing a trick not to pursue a move for Alaba in the upcoming window.
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