Somehow little known Spanish publication Todo Fichajes seem to be the ones in the know about the future of Leicester City defender Ben Chilwell.
They reported last week that Chelsea had started negotiations to sign the left-back, whose Foxes form has made him first choice for England.
Now Todo Fichajes understand that Spurs have made our own enquiries over Chilwell, who Jose Mourinho wants to improve his defence for next season. The report adds that we’d be willing to pay out £40m for him.
Chilwell would be a big upgrade on Ben Davies who is the incumbent at left-back now that Danny Rose has one foot out of the door, so I can see why he’d be a desireable target. I’m just not sure if he is an affordable one?
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According to ESPN, losses caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and our huge stadium debt will leave Mourinho with a starting transfer budget of only £25m this summer, a total which could be supplemented by player sales.
Even anticipating a diluted market, it isn’t unrealistic to think that we could generate the remaining £15m from selling Rose, Juan Foyth, Kyle Walker-Peters and Erik Lamela. Transfermarkt.com’s combined value of the quartet is £48m, so in a best case scenario, we may end with £60m-£75m to spend.
But even if the numbers could add up, using around 2/3 of that overall budget to splash out on Chilwell seems improbable. If we are to stretch to make one major buy, it is likely to be a centre-half or holding midfielder. Between Davies, Ryan Sessegnon and Japhet Tanganga, we can cope at LB.
Add to this the competition for Chilwell’s signature, Leicester’s certain want to keep him and the fact that they will presumably have Champions League to help them do that, and our chances of signing him are close to zero.
Buy players that are needed, instead of those that are not.
I promise you that Leicester won’t sell for as little as £40m. Will probably require double that.
Leicester unfortunately will be under pressure to keep top players leaving to the ‘big’ teams, just like us. Maguire left and eventually Pereira and Maddison will do the same. Chilwell coming to us over Chelsea, do me a favour. What Leicester have done is reinvested well. Soyuncu looks solid, Maddison can play and Pereira would have been great for us if Levy had bothered to pay the fee. At least we have Sissoko and Aurier!
Simples unless you are Leeds, West Brom and the play off hopefuls.
Levy will use the virus situation to absolutely limit funds for transfers.I see Mourinho’s only new players being frees,aging and with PL experience.
It’s looking increasingly unlikely the football season will be completed,so just award Liverpool the title,existing positions decide European places and no relegation and promotion for this season.Simples.
Talk has it Mourinho doesn’t need a left back as he will use Davies,Sessegnon and Cirkin.Other positions are a priority,right back,centre back,defensive mf and backup striker.
Close to zero, you nailed it. And £48 million for Rose, over the hill, Foyth a defensive liability, Walker – Peters Championship level if he gets lucky, Lamela a complete waste of space, dream on, you’d be lucky to get £10 million for the lot.