Chelsea have been linked with a Real Madrid superstar in an attempt to strengthen in the middle of the park following N'Golo Kante’s departure to the Saudi Pro League.
Incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly 'obsessed' with midfielder Fede Valverde and are said to have made an initial bid of €120m (£100m) plus €20m (£17m) in add-ons for the Uruguay international.
Chelsea transfer news – Fede Valderde
Chelsea are they look to revolutionise their midfield as they attempt to bounce back after a terrible Premier League campaign saw the blues finish in the bottom half of the table.
Following Kante’s departure, Chelsea look set to sell midfielders Mateo Kovacic to champions Manchester City and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to Champions League semi-finalists AC Milan.
Chelsea also declined to make the loan of Denis Zakaria from Juventus a permanent transfer.
The London club has made an offer north of £100m for Real Madrid’s star midfielder Fede Valverde, per DefensaCentral in Spain.
Should Chelsea sign Fede Valverde?
Valverde has been crucial to Real Madrid in recent years, this includes an assist for Vinicius Jr’s Champions League final-winning goal against Liverpool last season.
The 24-year-old machine joined Los Blancos' academy in 2016 from Uruguayan club Penarol for a mere £4.5m, and it now worth an estimated £85m according to Transfermarkt.
As a versatile midfielder who can also play on the right wing, Valverde contributed seven goals and four assists to Real’s league campaign this season.
Is Fede Valverde as good as Jude Bellingham?
Chelsea title-winner Joe Cole once spoke glowingly of the 6-foot midfielder, even comparing the Urguaguay international to English superstar Jude Bellingham.
“He’s been able to bide his time and learn from the likes of Casemiro, Kroos and Modric,” the former Blues player said following Real’s 5-1 demolition of SPFL champions Celtic in this season's Champions League.
“He’s at the top of the young players alongside Jude Bellingham, and he’s about to become the best.
“We talk a lot about Bellingham in England, but this kid is as good as he is.”
Bellingham looks set to snub offers in England to join Los Blancos, and it remains to be seen if the former Birmingham City midfielder’s arrival will displace Valverde from the starting XI.
Given Toni Kroos, 33, and Luka Modric, 37, are nearing the end of their careers it feels more likely that Bellingham will replace one of those two real legends as opposed to replacing Valverde.
But that shouldn't stop Todd Boehly and co from making an attempt for his signature.
