Transfer News: Chelsea could make £17m January move for 23-year-old Hungarian star

Fenerbahce defender Attila Szalai linked with a move to Chelsea in the January transfer window

According to The Sun (h/t ESPN), Chelsea are keeping their attention towards Fenerbahce centre-back Attila Szalai for a potential move in the winter transfer window. He has previously attracted interest from other Premier League clubs.

The 23-year-old has a contract with Fener until 2025 and is a starter for his side, having earned five clean sheets in 17 appearances. He has also been a star for Hungary in the Euro 2020 competition and has gathered interest from various clubs.

Leicester City and West Ham United were some clubs that had an interest in Szalai in the past and, the Blues have now added to the list of PL clubs. It is said that Thomas Tuchel’s side are plotting a move for the defender in January to safeguard their backline.

A £17m move could be on the cards for the Hungarian as Marina Granovskaia looks to find solutions for a potential centre-back crisis. However, no concrete information has been made available relating to the interest.

Earlier, it was stated that Thiago Silva could be on the way out at the end of the season, whereas Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger have not agreed to a contract extension with the club. The latter duo could leave for free next year as their contract winds down in the summer.

While Cesar Azpilicueta is another defender whose contract will expire at the end of this term. Amid this, Tuchel should really look to find suitable options in case the club does end up losing some of its most revered names at the back.

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The Champions League winners could be planning for a worst-case scenario, which is further backed up by the recent extension of Trevoh Chalobah. An overhaul at the back could be a blow for us as the current crop of players offer solidity and has adjusted to each other’s style of play.

Should an overhaul happen, it would mean more time for the new set of players to gel together, and that could affect our chances of winning silverware. But that doesn’t mean that the planning should stop for the future. Chelsea have shown time and again that players come and go, but the DNA of the club is built in such a way that we are always in the conversation for trophies no matter what.