Defence is one of the areas Chelsea will look to reinforce when the transfer window reopens in the summer. Several players have already been linked with the club. Marc Guehi, Jorrel Hato, Jarrad Branthwaite and Mario Gila have all emerged as potential targets. However, no move has been finalised as of yet.
As a result, the Blues are keeping an eye on other options as well. And it looks like they have another high-profile target.
Reports in Portugal suggest that the Blues are considering a move for Benfica’s Tomas Araujo. But the Portuguese international has a €80 million release clause.
As reported by A Bola, Araujo tops Chelsea's list of favourites in central defence. The Londoners are preparing their move to try to sign the 23-year-old Portuguese international, but Benfica are not interested in negotiating and are not looking to transfer him away.
Chelsea are trying to sign Tomas Araujo, but Benfica unwilling to negotiate
Araujo was a regular in Benfica’s backline in the 24/25 season, having made 44 appearances. Being an integral part of their defence, the Portuguese club renewed the youngster’s contract until 2029 in December last year. His release clause is set at €80 million, which further complicates any chances of a potential transfer.
Leaving the transfer amount, Chelsea could offer Araujo a more lucrative salary package and a more attractive footballing project overall, which might be attractive to the player. However, similar offers could also arrive from clubs like Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain, who are also reportedly interested in him.
Frankly speaking, a move for Araujo looks far-fetched at the moment, given Benfica’s unwillingness to negotiate and an asking price that may prove to be too steep even for Chelsea. But in modern football, you never know what might happen next. So, for now, we’ll just have to wait and see.