Chelsea are in desperate need of defensive depth, but this deal would come as a real shock…
According to the Daily Mirror, Real Madrid veteran Pepe could be set for a switch to Chelsea upon the expiry of his contract next summer.
They are reporting that the Portuguese centre-half is in a contract stand-off with Real Madrid after not being offered a 2-year-deal – and his advisors reportedly think that Chelsea could be the club to offer him what he wants.
Whilst the deal does come as a surprise – in many ways, it makes a lot of sense.
Chelsea are on the look-out for a veteran central defender, and have recently reportedly touted Leonardo Bonucci as an option. However, crucially, that move would almost certainly require a world-record fee, and that could prove unaffordable for the Blues.
Pepe would represent a cut-price option, whilst also offering a similar level of longevity compared to Bonucci. After all, you can’t beat free…
Despite the fact that he has seemingly been around forever, Pepe is just 33-years-old, so the Blues could almost certainly still get a two or three years out of him.
What’s more, whilst Pepe is certainly no youngster – as of yet he has shown no signs of slowing down. He is still a regular for Real Madrid, and he played a key role en route to Portugal’s Euro 2016 win over the summer. He still looks like a man that could make close to 40 appearances a year.
Would he be the preferred option for the Chelsea fans? Definitely not – but his signing could prove to be a shrewd acquisition by Antonio Conte.
Chelsea fans – thoughts on this deal?
Let us know below!