Chilwell could still miss the start of the 20/21 season
Chelsea are on the verge of agreeing a deal with Leicester City for the transfer of Ben Chilwell, according to The Athletic.
Chilwell has been Chelsea’s top defensive target all summer and the club are very close to completing a £50m move for his services at left-back.
Chelsea’s defensive problems were laid bare last season with Frank Lampard chopping and changing his back line on numerous occasions, often switching to a back five to make up for the lack of individual quality.
Left-back has been a particularly tricky position for Lampard to fill, with the former Chelsea player switching between Marcos Alonso, Emerson Palmieri and sometimes Cesar Azpilicueta. It was clear from the off they would need to improve in that department if they were serious about competing.
With a dearth of quality left-backs available, Chelsea are having to pay more than they would like to fill the gap, but at 23 years old, Chilwell seems like a good investment.
He is currently recovering from a heel injury that ruled him out of the last few Premier League games of the season. He has undergone medical checks in London and is expected to be out of action for another three weeks, possibly missing the start of the 20/21 season, due to begin on September 12th.
It will be the second summer running that Leicester sell their most valuable asset to a member of the ‘Big Six’ after they sold Harry Maguire to Manchester United last summer.
