Chelsea’s priority this summer transfer window is supposed to be defense, and our primary target in that regard has become Matthijs De Ligt, with his sudden and evidently unexpected availability pushing Jules Koundé down the shortlist.
We may rate De Ligt higher, but so do others, and Juventus’ initial asking price had been the 22-year-old’s release clause of over £100m (€120m, to be exact). Over the last couple weeks we appear to have managed to push that down to something a bit more reasonable, with Juventus “softened” in their demands, though the two sides remain “apart” on an “all-in price” (i.e. straight cash, no swaps).
As per CBS’s Ben Jacobs, Chelsea are hoping to get the deal done at around £60-65m, but Juventus still want something closer to £70-75m. That’s the same range that initial reports had guessed for where a deal might get done, and the same price that De Ligt had wanted included as a release clause in a new contract, failed negotiations over which kicked off this whole saga in the first place.
It’s a lot of money either way, but we do have the means and we do have the need, so let’s make it happen.
Told Chelsea are hoping to pay
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) July 3, 2022
£60-65 million. Juventus trying for closer to 70 and other interest (and there is some) may mean they hold out for 75. But that’s still progress from when talks first started and the fear on price was 80+. De Ligt very open to the move.
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