Chelsea have now submitted a £26m bid for a "real deal" defender, who could be brought in as an alternative to Rennes star Jeremy Jacquet.
Blues eyeing new centre-back after Anselmino loan
With Aaron Anselmino being loaned out to Strasbourg just days after being recalled from Borussia Dortmund, the Blues may need to bring in another centre-back before the February 2nd transfer deadline, and Jacquet is well-known to be one of their main targets.
However, the race for the Frenchman's signature remains open, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, who has revealed a deal may not be possible until the summer transfer window.
Journalist Fabrice Hawkins has states Strasbourg loanee Mamadou Sarr could be recalled by the west Londoners, in order to boost their options at centre-back, saying: "Liam Rosenior wants to bring Mamadou Sarr back to Chelsea. The coach, who has spoken with the African champion, has made it a priority. Discussions are intensifying within the BlueCo group to terminate Mamadou Sarr’s loan."
Should Rosenior bring back Sarr, the manager may be able to wait until the summer before bringing in Jacquet, but an alternative option has now been identified for the current transfer window.
jeremy-jacquet-rennes
That is according to a report from L'Equipe (via Get French Football News), which states Chelsea have now submitted a €30m (£26m) bid for Nantes defender Tylel Tati, which has been knocked back by the Ligue 1 side.
The Blues have made a formal offer for Tati, who they were planning to send back to Nantes on loan until the end of the season, but a deal now looks difficult.
"Real deal" Tati could be solid Jacquet alternative
Journalist Bence Bocsak has lauded the 18-year-old as "the real deal", while also providing an overview of some of his key strengths, saying: "Tati is quick and he reads the game really well. He has a great awareness to anticipate where the ball is going to go, reads opponents well and will usually be the first to long balls.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior celebrates after the match Related
[Chelsea preparing £69m bid for "magic" Atletico star, Rosenior personally keen](https://www.footballfancast.com/chelsea-preparing-transfer-bid-pablo-barrios-atletico-liam-rosenior/ "Chelsea preparing £69m bid for "magic" Atletico star, Rosenior personally keen")
The Blues are willing to shell out a huge fee.
"What stands out to me is he’s really assured in one vs one situations. He doesn’t do anything rash, stands his ground and draws the attacker into making a mistake."
The teenager has been a key player for Nantes this season, making 18 Ligue 1 appearances, which is impressive, given that he is very young, and the Frenchman put in a very impressive performance in a 2-0 victory against Marseille earlier this month.
Tylel Tati's key stats vs Marseille Number completed
Clearances 9
Duels (won) 6 (6)
Accurate passes 52/53 (98%)
Interceptions 2
As such, Tati could be a fantastic long-term addition to the Chelsea squad, and they should seriously consider making another approach if they're unable to get a deal for Jacquet over the line.