Chelsea are reportedly planning to launch an audacious transfer bid for Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt.
The Blues have been quiet all throughout the summer transfer window but are now looking to accelerate their plans of bringing in some new players. They are close to thrashing out a deal for Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku that would see the big Belgian return to Stamford Bridge after seven years.
According to the Italian news outlet Calciomercatoweb.it (h/t TuttoJuve), Chelsea are willing to offer €60 million in cash, plus Timo Werner, who is currently valued at €45 million for Juventus star Matthijs de Ligt.
A product of the famed Ajax academy, Matthijs de Ligt, 21, is regarded as one of Europe’s top young defenders. Having made his senior debut for Ajax at the tender age of 17, he went on to make 117 appearances in all competitions for the Dutch giants before joining Juventus in the summer of 2019.
A move to Juventus hasn’t been plain sailing for the 21-year-old centre-back. De Ligt missed the start of last season due to a shoulder injury, managing only 27 league appearances as the Turin giants scraped into the top four on the final day of the 2020/21 campaign.
Matthijs de Ligt—The right defensive option for Chelsea?
Chelsea were all over the place defensively in the first half of the season under Frank Lampard, conceding cheap goals due to lack of proper marking from set-pieces plus players making unforced errors. Since Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard in January at Stamford Bridge, he tightened the Blues’ backline by addressing the weaknesses that his predecessor failed to iron out.
Tuchel’s 3-4-3/3-4-1-2 system worked wonders for Chelsea, with the solid defence becoming one of the cornerstones in their Champions League triumph. Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen were the chief components in the Blues’ three-man backline.
Cesar Azpilicueta, Reece James and Ben Chilwell played their part too, but with Azpilicueta and Silva already in their 30’s and Kurt Zouma attracting interest from West Ham, it makes sense for Tuchel to be in the market for a new centre-back. Keeping that in mind, Matthijs de Ligt would fit the billing perfectly at Stamford Bridge.
Matthijs De Ligt is a top central defender with great passing technique, anticipation skills and aerial ability. An accomplished passer, he likes to bring the ball out from the back and make an incisive pass or a cross to start an attack. Due to his towering frame, the Netherlands international is an asset to have in the team at both ends of the pitch.
The 21-year-old isn’t the quickest of defenders but he makes it up with his reading of the game, ability to snuff out danger before growing and ball-playing skills. A player with excellent leadership skills, De Ligt has the experience and skill-set to make Chelsea’s defence more robust next season.
In order to get a deal done for De Ligt, Chelsea could pay a rumoured fee of €60 million and sacrifice Timo Werner. Should Juventus accept such terms for the Dutch defender, the Blues would acquire a player with massive potential and a big future ahead of him.
