Chelsea identify three potential transfer targets to bolster their defence

Chelsea identify Wesley Fofana, Benjamin Pavard and Milan Skriniar as potential defensive additions

The transfer window closes on September 1 and Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea still have a lot to do. After Barcelona somehow managed the funds to hijack Jules Kounde’s deal with Chelsea. The west London club now seems to have moved on from that heartbreak.

Kounde is yet to be officially announced, but if reports are to be believed it is just a matter of time before Barcelona announce the player. Tuchel seems to have wasted little time after losing out on the player and now has turned attention elsewhere.

According to Fabrizio Romano on Podfollow.com (h/t Express), Chelsea have identified three potential alternatives after missing out on Kounde. Leicester City’s Wesley Fofana, Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar and Bayern Munich’s Benjamin Pavard have all been shortlisted by the club.

Fofana is valued at £70 million by Leicester, who are not ready to part with the player this summer. Chelsea have been interested in him since his debut season with the Foxes and it remains to be seen if they will make a move in the coming weeks.

Skriniar is no cheap target either as Inter are said to be looking for a fee up to £60 million for the Slovakian. Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in him too as Inter seek to sell him and balance their books.

Pavard is the most attainable of the three. Bayern are said to be open to a summer sale of the player. A right-back who can play as centre-back and wing-back, he could be of the highest interest to Tuchel. The Frenchman can be deployed in numerous positions in Tuchel’s preferred 3-4-2-1 formation.

It will be interesting to see whom Tuchel signs this summer. He may also bring in a player not on this three-man shortlist. But whoever he brings, the fans will hope is a top-class player who can help the club win some silverware next season. The current squad had a disappointing pre-season tour of the United States and will hope to perform better than they did.

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Tuchel will hope to have a squad ready before the first matchday. The club will play a friendly against Italian side Udinese this Saturday and wrap up their pre-season. Tuchel and co will look to challenge for the title next season beginning their journey with a trip to Goodison Park on August 6.