Chelsea and Tottenham leading race for 19-year-old Serie A breakout star: Reports
Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly leading the race to sign Patrick Dorgu. The Lecce left-back is likely to cost around €40 million.
Dorgu, 19, was in the Danish side Nordsjaelland's academy before moving to Lecce on loan in 2022. He then joined the club permanently the following year and has been excellent for them since. Primarily a left-back, he can also play on the wings, as he has been doing this season so far.
Dorgu has made 38 senior appearances for Lecce, scoring two goals and providing one assist. His performances have seen him garner plenty of attention from clubs across Europe, as per Caught Offside. Chelsea and Tottenham are the two clubs who are most interested in signing him.
The Blues are looking to sell Ben Chilwell after manager Enzo Maresca confirmed that he doesn't fit into his plans. Meanwhile, Spurs are looking for a backup for Destiny Udogie in the left-back position. They currently have Ben Davies but he's likely to leave as a free agent next summer.
Dorgu was previously expected to cost around €30 million but as per the aforementioned report, that price has gone up to €40 million. His contract with Lecce expires in 2027.
PL defender picks former Chelsea star as one of his toughest-ever opponents
Crystal Palace defender Joel Ward has picked Eden Hazard as one of the toughest opponents he's ever faced. He heaped praise on the former winger, explaining how tough it was playing against him.
Ward said (via The Chelsea Chronicle):
“He was a joke. Honestly, there was a moment we were playing Chelsea at theirs and Punch and me looked at each other at one point and we were like four-v-three and we just looked at each other just shaking our heads and going, ‘What are we supposed to do?’
“I don’t even know who we had to pick up! It was just kind of like chasing shadows. But he just picked up the ball and done what he wanted with it, moved you into areas where you couldn’t touch him. I think he’s definitely got to be up there.”
Ward faced Hazard nine times, winning four times and losing the other five. Hazard joined Chelsea from LOSC Lille in 2012 and contributed 110 goals and 85 assists in 352 games for the club. He won numerous trophies before leaving for Real Madrid in 2019 and eventually retiring in 2023.