Gabriel Magalhães ‘waiting for’ bids from Everton or Chelsea, keeping Napoli waiting — report

While the Gabriel Magalhães-to-Chelsea rumors have died down in recent weeks, with Napoli firmly in the lead for his signature, Chelsea’s defensive frailties mean that the Blues may yet make a move.

According to France Football (via Sport Witness), that is exactly what the 22-year-old is hoping for, preferring a move to England over Italy. The report mentions Chelsea and Everton as the two Premier League sides with interest, and Gabriel is waiting to see if either of them make a move.

The cancellation of the 2019-20 Ligue 1 season means that Lille are in desperate need of cash — especially as they have failed to make the grade for next season’s UEFA Champions League — and could be forced to sell their high-profile stars including Gabriel, Victor Osimhen, and Boubakary Soumaré.

While Gabriel Magalhães is a young player who’s still finding his feet at the highest level, with the likes of Stefan de Vrij, Milan Škriniar, Alessio Romagnoli, Kalidou Koulibaly, Çağlar Söyüncü unavailable or too expensive, he may be the best, most realistic option available on the market.