Chelsea have an offer ready for player – Blues move takes competitor ‘off guard’

Bayern Munich seem to have overtaken Chelsea in the chase to sign Juventus’ Matthijs de Ligt this summer.

The Dutchman wants to leave the Serie A side and it has seen the latter identify Kalidou Koulibaly as the target to replace De Ligt.

That’s according to La Repubblica, who add ‘there is Chelsea’ looking at the Napoli star.

Juve making an approach will depend on De Ligt making a move elsewhere. Their interest in the centre-back frightens has caused concern among Napoli supporters.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis doesn’t want to negotiate with the Turin club for the Senegal international. He’s even ready to change his stance and make a good renewal offer to the player.

Koulibaly will have to ‘soon make a decision on his future’. If he wants to leave, then his suitors will have to satisfy De Laurentiis by tabling a €40m offer. The president is ready to risk letting the defender leave for nothing when his contract expires in 2023.

For now, it’s a three-way battle between Napoli, Juventus and Chelsea for the ex-Genk man. The outlet states ‘these are hot hours’ for Koulibaly.

Another report from La Repubblica states Chelsea have ‘diverted their attention’ towards the 31-year-old, after De Ligt favoured a move to Bayern.

It’s claimed Thomas Tuchel’s side have a wages offer of €9.5m ready for the central defender.  This move by the Blues takes Juve ‘off guard’, since they had plans to replace De Ligt with Koulibaly by proposing a deal worth €6.5m a season.