Chelsea owner and self-appointed sporting director Todd Boehly is eager to secure an “early deal” for RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol next summer in order to avoid the disappointment that they endured throughout the window just gone.
What’s the word?
That is according to transfer insider Dean Jones, via GIVEMESPORT, who claims that the Blues will move quickly for the Croatia international to avoid a repeat of the Jules Kounde deal, who ended up joining Barcelona instead.
Jones told GIVEMESPORT:
“It still seems bizarre that Kounde did not end up a Chelsea player after everything they went through, so that shows they won’t have it all their own way in terms of signing Gvardiol next summer.
“They will look to clinch it early, though, because I think they were burned a little bit by the Kounde situation.”
Tuchel will be delighted
In what is a huge transfer claim by Jones, it is indeed one that will result in delight for Chelsea boss Tuchel, if the club are to successfully pull this move off.
Esteemed super-journalist Fabrizio Romano disclosed information that Chelsea were in “advanced talks” with the 20-year-old just a day or so before the summer window slammed shut, and although negotiations took place, a deal could not be agreed with RB Leipzig before Thursday night’s deadline.
Even if the deal had gone through, Gvardiol was set to stay at Leipzig for another year before making the switch to Stamford Bridge.
And although they received a slight set-back in their negotiations with the Bundesliga outfit, they will look to move again for a player who fits in with Boehly’s “top talents” strategy in a system that focuses on creating a conveyor belt of talent ready to harness for years to come.
