Chelsea: Blues seem set on Leicester City’s Ben Chilwell
Reports out of England this week suggest Chelsea and Leicester City had a breakthrough in talks as Ben Chilwell is the Blues’ No. 1 choice.
Aside from the Kai Havertz rumors over the last month, all has been relatively quiet on the Chelsea transfer front. Reports linking the German to a move to west London have been the focus, but it seems as if other discussions have been had behind closed doors—away from the public eye.
Multiple credible sources from Leicester City’s camp are now suggesting there has been a breakthrough in discussions between the Blues and the Foxes for Ben Chilwell. The English left back has cleaned out his locker at Leicester’s training ground as he prepares for a presumed Chelsea medical in a matter of days. Chilwell is one of the many left backs the Blues have been linked with, but one thing has remained true the entire time and that’s the fact Frank Lampard has always viewed the 23-year-old as his No. 1 target. If these reports come to fruition and the Blues do sign Chilwell, it will mean multiple things.
First and foremost, the acquisition of the Englishman signifies that Chelsea’s interest in a left back began and ended with Chilwell. The board and the scouts are doing their due diligence and exploring other options to improve the left side of the defense, but Lampard is interested in one man and one man only. Matt Law of the Daily Telegraph joined the London Is Blue Podcast earlier in the week where he confirmed this notion.
On the topic of the gaffer, striking a deal with Leicester for Chilwell shows the club’s commitment to backing Lampard to the fullest extent. The manager and club have differed on transfer targets in recent years as the latter has failed to bring in who former managers—specifically Antonio Conte—asked the club to acquire. This bargain buying approach has led to the necessary squad upgrades happening this summer. Therefore, it’s refreshing to see Chelsea putting all of its eggs in Lampard’s basket from the off.
Lastly, a potential Chilwell acquisition shows the progress of the club’s three-year plan and Lampard’s understanding of a team in need of an overhaul. The first year of the Lampard era was seen as an overachieving success considering where the Blues finished in their competitions. Few are in a position to define exactly how far ahead of schedule the manager has the team, but based on the fact Chelsea is playing Champions League football in year two and attracting top talent, one can safely assume the vision is coming together.
A lot of the worry amongst the fans as the Havertz rumors strengthened has been centered around the Blues losing out on other vital needs while strengthening positions with preexisting depth. If Marina Granovskaia and company are able to pry Chilwell from the Foxes, the deal will put all of those concerns to bed. Supporters will find comfort in the fact their manager sees the same weaknesses in the side they do—something that drove a wedge between the fans and the club they love in years prior.
Next. Chelsea: Alphonso Davies is the solution for left back. dark
A lot of positives would come out of Chelsea signing Chilwell, though don’t overlook the most obvious benefit—strength in a position of need. The Blues are going to have at least one fresh face starting at the back come the beginning of next season. All signs are pointing towards Chilwell and as fans who back the manager to the fullest extent, it’s easy to get on board with this likely acquisition.