Report: Blues set to pounce on contract-rebel Juventus star

Chelsea set sights on unsettled Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt

Chelsea have been showing interest in Juventus and the Netherlands star Matthijs de Ligt, even more so in recent days according to a report from Sky Sports. 

Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport (h/t Daily Mail) now suggests that De Ligt wants to leave Turin after discussions over a new contract broke down following an “explosive” meeting with club officials. 

The cause of friction is believed to be Juve’s desire to add a release clause worth £98m, which is way higher than the £68m region De Ligt’s camp had been hoping for. That’s not all, as reportedly there has been a disagreement over wages too. 

The Dutchman is currently under contract until 2024 and Juventus chiefs have been trying to extend it by two more years until 2026. De Ligt joined Juventus in the summer of 2019 in a deal that made him the most expensive defender in Serie A history.

De Ligt’s unsettled status means there is no shortage of clubs monitoring his situation and Chelsea are believed to be the most interested at the moment. Manchester United are also in the picture, and unsurprisingly so due to the presence of current Red Devils and De Ligt’s former head-coach at Ajax, Erik ten Hag. 

The Blues have been linked to Sevilla’s Jules Kounde for a long time now but a second defender is expected to arrive besides Kounde, due to the double vacancy left behind by the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. 

De Ligt’s arrival could solve Chelsea’s defensive crisis for the rest of this decade

The defender is still only 22, as hard as that may seem to believe. If Chelsea can somehow manage to sign both De Ligt and Kounde, who is 23, then their defence will seemingly appear sorted for the foreseeable future. 

Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah, both are 22. Ben Chilwell is 25, and with the addition of De Ligt and Kounde, the average age of Chelsea’s entire backline will be only 22.8 years old. 

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With veteran Thiago Silva turning 38 in September, De Ligt seems like the perfect replacement for the Brazilian legend who is likely not to play a regular part like before owing to his age. 

The price is probably going to be the biggest stumbling block in this deal. De Ligt’s current contract runs until 2024 and already has a £103m release clause. Juve are likely to expect bids in that region or at least closer, and Chelsea are most likely to be reluctant to reach that deep into their pockets.