Chelsea are reportedly targeting a top young European midfielder ahead of the summer.placeholder image
Chelsea are reportedly targeting a top young European midfielder ahead of the summer. | AFP via Getty Images
Could Chelsea swoop for a top talent from a major European rival this summer?
Chelsea are always looking to scour the market for the next big thing in world football and have already secured some diamonds in the rough under the ownership of BlueCo.
From Cole Palmer to Estevao, and even higher-profile signings at the time such as Moises Caicedo – the Blues have certainly had an eye for the rising stars across Europe, South America and beyond and have built a squad packed with young talent to be envied. Whether the west London outfit have enough experience to get over the line is another question, but they are still well within the race for the Champions League spots and secured a crucial 4-1 away win at direct rivals Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
Off the field, plans will look ahead to the summer – and what will undoubtedly be another busy window at Stamford Bridge, with one top young star already identified as their next potentially marquee signing.
Chelsea linked with Bayern Munich gem in blockbuster summer deal
According to reports by Caught Offside, Chelsea are expected to ‘open discussions’ over the signing of Aleksandar Pavlovic over the coming weeks, with the Bayern Munich star developing strong interest from the Premier League as he continues to shine at the Allianz.
Pavlovic is growing into a key player for Bayern and has already made 32 appearances so far this term, shining in defensive midfield alongside Joshua Kimmich and contributing with three goals and one assist at the other end.
It will prove a significant challenge to prise the Bayern academy product away from the Allianz, though. He joined the club aged 7 and has publicly expressed a desire to remain at Bayern for the entirety of his career – as long as the club continues to align with his vision and demands for his own career. With an estimated market value of €65 million (£56.5m), Chelsea may look to test the German champions’ resolve with a huge bid this summer.
Would a swoop for Pavlovic be worth it?
Pavlovic has developed into a key player for Bayern under Vincent Kompany and with Leon Goretzka departing the club at the end of the season, he appears primed to be the German’s undisputed successor at the Allianz. To tempt the 21-year-old to move elsewhere, therefore, would be a challenging task – but would it be worth it?
Chelsea already boast one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe in Caicedo but amidst the frequent injury issues of Romeo Lavia, his long-term partner in midfield is not yet defined. With £106m man Enzo Fernandez often playing further forward this term, Pavlovic could arrive at Stamford Bridge and make one of Liam Rosenior’s midfield positions his own very quickly.
The Blues know as well as anyone the price of a top midfielder on today’s market and so if they were able to secure a summer move for Pavlovic at around the £56.5m mark, it would be a market opportunity which they cannot afford to miss out on. Whether Bayern would let go of their gem is another matter – but you would not put it past Chelsea to try their hand, and they often succeed in getting their own way.
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