Chelsea are reportedly battling a number of top Premier League clubs for the signing of a player dubbed the “best defender” in his league earlier this year.
Chelsea transfer news
After a bitterly disappointing season at Stamford Bridge in 2023/24 – one that led to the eventual departure of Mauricio Pochettino – the hope is that new manager Enzo Maresca can embark on a more successful period in charge of the Blues.
For that to happen, fresh quality needs to be added to Chelsea’s squad in the coming weeks and months, with defensive reinforcements required, particularly after the exit of Thiago Silva. Strahinja Pavlovic and Riccardo Calafiori have both been linked with moves to Stamford Bridge and are considered strong options to come in, with the pair impressing at RB Salzburg and Bologna respectively.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid forward Samu Omorodion has reportedly been the subject of a huge £70m bid from the Blues, with Maresco giving the move the green light. Only 20 years of age, he scored eight times in La Liga last season, showing that he can perform in one of Europe’s biggest leagues, and he should only improve with age.
Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella is also believed to have been trying to persuade Spain teammate Nico Williams to join the club during their time together at Euro 2024, and the Athletic Bilbao man could be an eye-catching addition. He has scored one and assisted one at the tournament this summer, with his strike a superb effort against Georgia that showcased his dribbling and finishing abilities.
Chelsea want to sign league’s “best defender”
According to a new report from Tutto Juve, Chelsea are interested in signing Juventus centre-back Gleison Bremer this summer, but are far from alone in that respect.
The Blues face competition from the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United for the Brazilian, while Bayern Munich are also mentioned as potential suitors.
Bremer could be precisely what Chelsea are looking for in terms of finding a dominant central defender who can be a leader at the back for a number of years, having proven himself for Juve since arriving from Torino in the summer of 2022.
The 27-year-old started 36 of his side’s 38 Serie A matches last season, averaging 2.8 successful aerial duels per game, as well as four clearances and 1.6 tackles. Juve legend Sergio Brio has heaped praise on the defender back in January, saying:
“I really like Bremer. He’s an exceptional player with great timing and positioning on the pitch. The Brazilian is the best defender in Serie A today. I’m certain of it.”
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At 27, Bremer is at an excellent age to come in and be a key player for Chelsea from the off as he approaches his peak years. He would also be their oldest centre-back, with recent arrival Tosin Adarabioyo and Axel Disasi currently the most experienced heads at 26.
|
Chelsea first-team centre-backs |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Age |
|
Tosin Adarabioyo |
26 |
|
Axel Disasi |
26 |
|
Malang Sarr |
25 |
|
Trevoh Chalobah |
25 |
|
Wesley Fofana |
23 |
|
Benoit Badiashile |
23 |
|
Levi Colwill |
21 |
|
Alfie Gilchrist |
20 |
Aside from an eye-watering transfer fee of around €70m (£59.3m), the only question that hangs over Chelsea as a potential destination has to be their non-participation in the Champions League, with Bremer poised to appear for Juventus in the premier club competition in 2024/25. It remains to be seen whether he would happily swap that for the Conference League, particularly given the other clubs interested in his signature.
