Chelsea have joined Liverpool and Manchester United in battle to sign Bundesliga star. Liverpool linked with the £55m player for long but the Blues are also in need.
Currently Liverpool have four recognised senior centre-backs at their disposal. Club captain Virgil Van Djik, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Giovanni Leoni. Unfortunately, Leoni is ruled out for the season with an ACL injury.
Ibrahima Konate’s long term future is also in question with the Frenchman still in talks to sign an extension. The centre-back position is certainly a hot proposition in Anfield transfer circles.
Chelsea joins Liverpool in transfer battle
Chelsea have joined the hunt to sign Liverpool target Dayot Upamecano (Credits: Imago Images)
According to German outlet Bild, Chelsea are interested in Bayern star Dayot Upamecano. The 26-year old’s contract expires in 2026. His negotiations with the club has been dragging on for months.
Like Giovanni Leoni, the Blues too lost a player to an ACL injury. Levi Colwill went down before the start of the season. Manager Enzo Maresca tried to secure a new centre back during the transfer window but failed.
Chelsea tried to sign Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth during the summer but the Spaniard went to Real Madrid. The team has faced issues at the back and will like to address it as quickly as possible.
Liverpool still in contention
Liverpool’s centre-back issues are well documented as well. Joe Gomez is understood to be unhappy with his standing in the team. When fit, Van Djik and Konate are the preferred combination. Any replacement of Konate too will get higher precedence.
If Gomez indeed leaves, the hunt for a quality centre-back becomes even more important. Upamecano’s style of play suits Anfield. The Frenchman though commands a fee of close to £55m and Bayern will like to cash. January might be the time to sell if no extension is possible.
The 26-year old has started in ten of Bayern’s 12 games this season. Manager Vincent Kompany rates him highly. Any club will be happy to have him in their squad.
