Transfer news: Chelsea could use Christian Pulisic to land Juventus star Matthijs de Ligt
According to Tuttosport via Marca (h/t football. london), Chelsea could potentially use Juventus’ interest in Christian Pulisic to land a deal for Matthijs de Ligt. The 22-year-old centre-back has been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge for the past few weeks.
Thomas Tuchel needs to fix his defence following the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. He has identified the young Dutchman to help with this problem.
De Ligt moved to Juventus following an exceptional season with Ajax, leading them to a domestic league and cup double, as well as leading his side to the semi-finals of the Champions League. The Old Lady paid €75million for his service, making him the most expensive defender to play in Italy.
Now it is being claimed that Chelsea are willing to offer winger Christian Pulisic to help sweeten the deal for the Dutchman. The 23-year-old USMNT winger is apparently of interest to the Bianconeri..
Defensive woe to end?
The 22-year-old would be an excellent signing for Tuchel. He would help in solving the defensive crisis up to a certain extent. The defender would fit in the German’s tactical system as he has played in the back three system, especially for the Netherlands.
Apart from this, he has amassed huge playing experience at such a young age. Should Chelsea sign him, he would not only help solve their current defensive issue but would also be a long-term solution to the problem. But securing his signature will be a task and Tuchel knows that.
It is not surprising that Juve would want a big fee, given that de Ligt is a regular starter for them and also veteran defender Giorgio Chiellini moved to the MLS. Juventus’ interest in Pulisic could help bring down the asking price but it remains to be seen if such a proposition goes anywhere productive.
Chelsea will hope to find an acceptable solution for all parties involved. The earlier they can strike a deal, the better it will be for the player and club.
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It is also important for the club to not weaken elsewhere in their bid to strengthen at the back. We would need good backup in all areas of the pitch. A straight cash offer would, of course, be something that would then make sense.
But then again, Juve may not be willing to sell De Ligt on the cheap. This is a deal that our board would have to work to get across the line, given the player’s importance to his team and his age profile.
