Chelsea: Sensational move for Spurs defender; record-breaking bid prepared; Keane latest

By Sam Leveridge

In an unexpected twist, the Blues could look to one of their nearest rivals to help resolve their defensive problems, with Tottenham left-back Ben Davies eyed up by Antonio Conte. The Sun claim that the Stamford Bridge club are looking into the possibility of a £20 million bid for the former Swansea player who shone for his country as Wales shocked everyone at Euro 2016, and has carried that form on into the opening weeks of the season at White Hart Lane.

Embed from Getty Images

Davies has bags of quality but also offers something else to Chelsea by fulfilling the criteria for a homegrown player to fulfill Premier League and UEFA competition requirements. With a number of current homegrown players on their way out, such as John Terry, and many youngsters away on loan, the rule could become an issue for the club, who are now prioritising players who can fulfill this requirement when it comes to transfer targets, which puts Davies at the top of the list.

There are exceptions though, as the Express claim that the club are prepared to break their transfer record to bring Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann to Stamford Bridge. The Blues are likely to face competition from the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United, with all three Premier League clubs hoping to bring him to England, but Chelsea have been monitoring the left sided attacker for a number of years now and feel that they are in the best position to attract him to the capital.

Embed from Getty Images

Griezmann has shown in recent years in Spain that he has the ability to perform at the very highest level, having shone at Euro 2016 and in the Madrid club’s Champions League run last season. The Frenchman will undoubtedly be in high demand should he opt for a move, and the Blues will have to qualify for European football, and most likely Champions League football if they are to land their top priority target next summer, with Diego Costa a possible bargaining chip.

Chelsea do look set to miss out on another target though, this time one who would fulfill the homegrown requirement. Some had been surprised to see former Manchester United defender Michael Keane linked with a move to London, but Burnley turned down a £15 million bid from Leicester City and he is now set to sign a new deal at Turf Moor according to the Mirror.

Embed from Getty Images

Keane was seen as a long-term replacement for John Terry, with the 23-year-old showing superb leadership skills and experience belying his age since becoming a regular for the Clarets, and was reportedly hoping to return to his former club Leicester in the summer. Now, his club are preparing to receive further interest and offers for one of their prized assets, though the club will not allow him to leave easily and are hoping that he will soon put pen to paper on a new deal to secure his future at the club.

Featured Image: All rights reserved by Indolivescore ils.