Chelsea have reportedly added Leeds United’s s Tyler Adams to shopping list as pursuit for Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo rumbles on.
The Blues have seen three bids rejected for Moises Caicedo, with the latest worth up to £80m, but remain confident of reaching an agreement with Brighton. The Seagulls value the Ecuadorian defensive midfielder at £100m but the player is keen to make the move to Stamford Bridge. In addition to getting Caicedo, Mauricio Pochettino would like to add more depth to his midfield unit.
According to The Telegraph, Chelsea are set to make a move for Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams, who is also on Aston Villa’s radar.
Adams, 24, joined Leeds last summer from RB Leipzig and played in 24 Premier League games as they failed to avoid the drop to the Championship. Following the Whites’ relegation, the USA international has a contract at Elland Road that contains a release clause in the region of £20million, which Chelsea are prepared to trigger.
Moises Caicedo and Tyler Adams to Chelsea—Will the duo’s signing complete the club’s transfer business?
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is keen to strengthen his midfield options this summer after selling a host of players. N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Matteo Kovacic have all departed Stamford Bridge earlier this summer as part of a major clearout following such a torrid last campaign that saw the Blues finish 12th in the Premier League.
As a result, Pochettino has made Moises Caicedo his No.1 midfield target. However, Chelsea’s fourth bid worth £80million bid for Caicedo was turned down by Brighton in July. The Pensioners are expected to bid again for the Ecuador international and remain confident of agreeing a fee with the Seagulls.
In Caicedo, Pochettino would get one of the Premier League’s top defensive midfielders who can fill in the void left by Kante. However, signing Caicedo won’t be enough as the Blues need more experience and depth in their squad ahead of the new campaign getting underway in a few days. Therefore, it makes sense for the west Londoners to go for Tyler Adams as well.
Adams sustained a hamstring injury in March and hasn’t featured for Leeds and the national team since then. Prior to his injury, the 24-year-old was a vital cog in their midfield, operating as the team’s No.6 and screening the backline.
Both Caicedo and Adams would be fantastic signings for Chelsea. Primarily defensive midfielders, the duo can also operate in central midfield and at right-back when required. They possess good technical skills, including ball control and passing, which will allow them to contribute to Chelsea’s build-up play and maintain possession.
Caicedo and Adams’ ability to win tackles, intercept opposition’s play and tenacity would undoubtedly add solidity to Chelsea’s midfield. In addition, the pair’s composure on the ball could be a valuable asset in dictating tempo of games for Pochettino’s side.
With that being said, Caicedo and Adams would be massive signings for Chelsea. Having already reinforced the defensive and forward options, the additions of Caicedo and Adams should ideally end Pochettino’s first summer transfer window as the Blues boss.
