According to The Evening Standard, Leicester City are all but resigned to parting ways with their academy graduate Ben Chilwell who remains on top of Chelsea’s wishlist for the summer transfer campaign.
Even amid the coronavirus pandemic and the crisis it has caused, the Foxes were determined to earn something close to the £80m fee they got for Harry Maguire who joined Man United last summer.
However, as per the source, they are prepared now to accept an offer close to Chelsea’s valuation of Chilwell, around £50m.
The reason is simple: Chilwell wants the move himself, and it makes little sense to keep a player whose mind is elsewhere.
Leicester are still in a strong position, given Chilwell’s long-term deal with them, but they’re already eyeing potential replacements. One of the options is ex-Blue Ryan Bertrand, who’s most famous for making his first Chelsea start in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich in 2012.
Meanwhile, the Blues are reportedly even prepared to listen to offers for four defenders to raise funds for Chilwell: besides the two current left-backs Marcos Alonso and Emerson, this also concerns Andreas Christensen and Kurt Zouma who is rumoured to be a target for both Tottenham and Everton.