CHELSEA ‘OFFER’ £43M FOR LA LIGA STAR WHO SIR JIM RATCLIFFE WANTS TO LEAD MAN UTD ‘REBUILD’

Chelsea have reportedly made an offer for Barcelona full-back Alejandro Balde amid interest from Premier League rivals Man Utd.

The Blues are on the lookout for new left-back in the summer with Marc Cucurella and Ben Chilwell not entirely convincing this season under Mauricio Pochettino.

Reports in Spain are indicating that Chelsea are hoping to sign Balde from Barcelona with the defender the subject of interest from a number of clubs, including Man Utd, Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool and the Blues.

However, it is Chelsea who have moved quickest for the Spain international with Spanish publication Nacional insisting that the Blues have made a €50m (£43m) bid for Balde.

Barcelona see Balde – who is one of two signings new Man Utd co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to make to ‘rebuild’ the Red Devils – as ‘one of the biggest disappointments’ of the season as the 20-year-old hasn’t quite taken his game to the next level as they would’ve hoped.

Balde injured himself earlier this year and ‘maybe the next time he takes the field, it will be with a different kit’ with Barcelona ‘seriously considering the idea of transferring him’.

Chelsea boss Pochettino is ‘among his admirers’ and Blues co-owner Todd Boehly will ‘try to reach an agreement’ with Barcelona sporting director Deco and president Joan Laporta.

But Chelsea could still have to cough up another €20m as Nacional expect their €50m offer to be turned down with Barcelona’s valuation set at around €70m.

Chelsea are also keen on a new centre-back in the summer transfer window with Lille defender Leny Yoro one of the players the Blues are monitoring.

Fabrizio Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “Chelsea fans have been asking me about links with Leny Yoro, the young centre-back who has been doing fantastic with Lille and who could be one to watch for the summer.

“The reality is that the situation is still the same as I’ve been mentioning for months – Real Madrid are seriously pushing for Yoro, while PSG will do their best because they already wanted Yoro last January.

“Chelsea are following the situation, but there are no concrete talks, nothing else. Despite what may have been written elsewhere, I’m not sure there’s much to report here for now.

“However, I see Chelsea busy with centre-backs in the summer. There will be movements in that position, priority to the outgoings and then Chelsea will consider incomings but that could be one more position to follow in the summer. There is nothing concrete yet in terms of negotiations, as far as I know.”

2024-03-27T16:28:46Z dg43tfdfdgfd