Chelsea are considering a number of transactions as Mauricio Pochettino tries to restructure his roster.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies is about to receive a significant boost. The Blues are in the middle of a left-back crisis at Stamford Bridge, with Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella both out with long-term injuries, and have been linked with a summer transfer for the Canadian international.
Davies has been in Germany since leaving the Vancouver Whitecaps in July 2018, where he has helped the team win five consecutive Bundesliga titles as well as the 2019/20 Champions League. However, with his contract expiring in 2025, Bayern risk losing him for free if his future is not decided before the start of the following season.
His team values the defender at roughly £43 million, and Real Madrid is also interested in signing him. According to Sport Bild reporter Christian Falk, the German giants are unwilling to overpay for him when they offer him a new contract, with manager Thomas Tuchel dissatisfied with his recent performances.
That concept will provide further opportunities for Mauricio Pochettino and his team. Despite being constrained by Financial Fair Play (FFP) limitations, the suggested sum should not pose an issue for the London club, which has also become known for giving complicated contracts for Todd Boehly’s ownership.
Davies, who scored his country’s first World Cup goal against Croatia in December 2022, had previously received high praise from Rio Ferdinand. On the eve of the Champions League final four years ago, which Bayern won by beating PSG 1-0, he compared him to the world’s fastest ever sprinter over 100 meters.
He is the Usain Bolt of football,” Ferdinand told BT Sport. “His trajectory has been phenomenal. He is now comfortably one of the best left backs in the game. What I love is his desire at both ends of the field. He utilises his pace to devastating effect.
Davies has made 24 club appearances this season, and remains a vital component of the Bayern squad as they mount a Bundesliga and Champions League challenge. And he played 90 minutes as the club returned from their winter break on Friday night, beating Hoffenheim 3-0.
The Blues are not expected to make their move in the January window, despite their current defensive shortage. And Pochettino faces having to sell if he is also going to buy, in order to avoid FFP sanctions.
It’s a notion that also makes a three-figure move for Napoli forward Victor Osimhen unlikely. Despite signing a new deal with the Serie A club, the Nigerian negotiated a £103million release clause in his contract.
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