Enzo Maresca has "direct contact" with £42m Chelsea target's agents
da doce： Enzo Maresca has personally been in ongoing contacts with a transfer target’s representatives, while Chelsea themselves have also approached his club over the possibility of a transfer this summer.
Chelsea planning to invest in new centre-back this summer
da wazamba： According to some reports, Chelsea are planning to significantly invest in the acquisition of a centre-back this summer, and there are a few targets who are said to be on the agenda heading into the next transfer window.
Related Chelsea now determined to win race for Ramos-esque £50m Real Madrid target
The Blues are looking to move ahead of Real Madrid in the race for a “phenomenal” defender.
Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, who is about to enter the final 12 months of his contract at Selhurst Park, could be available for a much cheaper price than in previous windows, with Tottenham most recently having a £70 million bid rejected for the England international in January.
Chelsea’s next five Premier League fixtures
Date
Tottenham (home)
April 3rd
Brentford (away)
April 6th
Ipswich Town (home)
April 13th
Fulham (away)
April 20th
Everton (home)
April 26th
Chelsea are rumoured favourites to re-sign Guehi, after the centre-back departed Stamford Bridge for £18 million in 2021, but another Premier League star is also thought to be high on their transfer shortlist.
Bournemouth starlet Dean Huijsen has starred under Andoni Iraola for the Cherries this season, and news of a release clause in his contract is reportedly motivating clubs to seriously consider a move for the Spain international this summer.
Chelsea are expected to make a serious push for Huijsen, with Spanish news outlet Sport now claiming that they’ve already begun to lay the groundwork.
Chelsea make approach for Huijsen after "direct contact" from Maresca
The website and journalist Fermin de la Calle reports Chelsea have approached Bournemouth over signing Huijsen, as have PSG, Man United, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, but Maresca has done serious homework on the player.
The Blues boss has strong connections to the defender through Malaga, and he’s been in “direct contact” with Huijsen’s representatives “for years”.
Maresca is also apparently very acquainted with the coaches who worked with Bournemouth’s star youngster in the youth academy at Malaga, and while Real are working hard to get close to the player through his agents, Chelsea’s manager is already there and has been for a long time.
This is why Real aren’t counting their chickens just yet in the race for Huijsen, as Chelsea and Maresca specifically pose a serious threat to them.
The 19-year-old, whose exit clause stands at around £42 million according to this report, is being continuously linked with an exit from the Vitality Stadium, and Bournemouth expert Mark Mitchener admits that his exit is a possibility.
“If his release clause doesn’t come into play until the summer at least you know you’ve got four, five months left of him,” said Mitchener.
“If Bournemouth are in a position at the end of the season where they will play in Europe next year, then you would like to think he would want to stay unless a team came in and offered him a deal too good to turn down.
“He made the decision to come to Bournemouth as a 19-year-old and not wait for a bigger club even though people were saying very nice things about him so he wants to play. He’s doing a very good job of it.
“I’d like to think the club can keep him, but with some of the very best young players in the world it’s very difficult to tell what will happen.”