Chelsea are targeting Benfica’s Tomás Araújo for this summer, according to Friday’s edition of A Bola.
The centre-back is on the front page of today’s newspaper, with ‘target for Chelsea’ written in bold.
Within the report, it’s explained the Eagles face the threat of losing the 23-year-old to the Blues. That’s because Araújo is at the top of Chelsea’s target list and they are ‘preparing to attack’ to sign him.
The defender has been a regular this season, playing over 3,600 minutes from 44 games. His performances helped him make his debut for Portugal in November and a month later, Benfica rewarded with a new contract until 2029.
That contract has an €80m release clause.
Araújo’s salary was also improved, but the newspaper claims Chelsea can offer him wages that the Primeira Liga club can’t match.
Benfica have no intention of negotiating his sale, but as always… money talks.
Bruno Lage and his side are planning to have the defender in their squad for next season. Chelsea’s big transfer idea can spoil their plan, and this is a concern for Benfica.
A Bola state: ‘If the uncertainty regarding [Nicolás] Otamendi’s future is already causing constraints in relation to the attack on the market with regard to the centre of defence, Chelsea’s likely attack on Tomás Araújo could complicate the Reds’ plans and action even further.’