Chelsea eye 27-year-old PL star if Wesley Fofana deal doesn’t go through

Transfer News: Chelsea eye Brighton’s Adam Webster if Wesley Fofana deal doesn’t go through

According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea will eye a potential move for 27-year-old Brighton and Hove Albion defender Adam Webster, provided they remain unsuccessful in their pursuit to sign Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana.

It has been well documented in the past days and weeks that the Blues are doing everything in their armour to sign Fofana. Leicester have already rejected two bids and there seems to be a stalemate with regards to the fee agreement.

The advancement in the story is that the Foxes are not willing to discuss a potential deal about the player, unless there is an offer of around £80m from Chelsea.

If that move doesn’t go through, Webster, who has been one of the stalwarts in Brighton’s defence for the last year or so, would be seen as an option to bolster the Blues’ defensive department.

The former Portsmouth and Ipswich Town defender joined the Seagulls in the summer of 2019 and has been one of the first-choice centre-backs in the squad since. He can play in each of the positions across a back three and can also do a job as a fullback position (preferably right-back).

Playing for a Graham Potter side, Webster shows his propensity with the ball and is mobile enough to match up with pacey and tricky forwards. He is a physically strong defender, who is a handful in both boxes in set-piece situations.

For Chelsea, it seems as if they are adamant to add one more centre-back before the deadline day of this transfer window. If we look at the options, despite the addition of Kalidou Koulibaly and contract extension of Cesar Azpilicueta, it shows why the need is apparent.

Depending on a soon-to-be 38 Thiago Silva to last a whole season unscathered, that too with a World Cup in between would be stupidity. Other options are not getting younger. Even Reece James, who is being preferred as a right-sided centre-back, would be happier playing as a wing-back.

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• Thomas Tuchel hints at Chelsea opting against signing a new midfielder this summer
• Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel was not overly critical of Edouard Mendy’s mistake against Leeds United

So, if the Fofana deal doesn’t go through, looking at the possibility of signing Webster won’t be a bad alternative. Arsenal, our rivals up north, shopped in Brighton for a new centre-back and did a good job with Ben White.

Hopefully, if we do sign Webster, then he turns out to be equally effective. He may not be a household name, but we can surely do a lot worse than him in the transfer market.