Chelsea target 27-year-old Premier League star as part of defensive shake-up - Reports
According to The Mirror, Chelsea are interested in signing Brighton & Hove Albion defender Adam Webster in the summer of 2022.
The Blues are staring at the possibility of big defensive changes next season. Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger are all running out of contracts with the club this year. It seems unlikely that any of them will sign a new contract as all three have top European clubs interested in them.
This means Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel will have to build a new defense around veteran Thiago Silva and youngster Malang Sarr. Hence, the club are reportedly looking at Webster as an option.
The English defender joined Brighton from Bristol City in 2019 and has been a rock at the back for them. In fact, the Blues have seen his prowess first hand. He not only defended well but also scored the equalizer when the two teams drew 1-1 in the Premier League in January.
Brighton boss on Webster: "I don’t see anybody else with the same level as Adam Webster has. If you want to build from the back and carry the ball and progress the game, he is fantastic and that is his quality."
There have been reports that he might get his first England call-up soon due to his great form.
The 27-year-old is adept at playing in a back three at Brighton, which means he could easily fit into Tuchel's formation at Stamford Bridge. Needless to say, he could be a great addition to the squad given his performances and the fact that he has good Premier League experience.
Chelsea looking at more defenders in the summer
While Webster will be a good addition if he joins, Chelsea will need to sign more defenders, with three of their current ones potentially exiting.
The Blues were earlier linked with Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule, who refused to sign a new contract with the Bavarians. However, he has a deal in place with another Bundesliga club, Borussia Dortmund.
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From rival to teammate 🔄
Niklas Sule will join ✍️ @BlackYellow for the 2022/23 #Bundesliga season. ⚫🟡 https://t.co/ydOD2CMgIi
Chelsea have also been heavily linked with Sevilla defender Jules Kounde. The London giants could've signed him last summer, but they didn't want to pay his release clause of £68.5 million. They might be willing to pay the amount in the summer, though, with them needing him more than ever.
The Blues have also been linked with Real Madrid's Eder Militao. However, it looks unlikely that Los Blancos will let him go, given that they already let Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane leave last summer.
There could be more defenders on the market in the summer, including Matthijs de Ligt, Pau Torres and Stefan de Vrij. However, the competition to sign them will also be intense.