Chelsea are ready to make an audacious attempt to sign Bayern Munich superstar David Alaba, who is valued around £60 million.
According to Mirror, Chelsea have set their sights on David Alaba. The Bayern Munich defender has emerged as a top January target for Frank Lampard, who is keen to address the club’s problems in the left-back department. However, the Blues will have to fork out a fee of £60 million if they are to secure the services of the revered Austrian this month.
Alaba’s current contract at Bayern expires at the end of next season. And while the defender has been playing for the Bavarians for almost nine years, a move away from the Bundesliga does, to an extent, makes sense.
Alaba has struggled with a lot of injuries in recent years. As a result, Bayern were forced to sign Lucas Hernandez in the summer, for a record fee of £72 million. The Frenchman can play at left-back and thus provides direct competition for the ex-Hoffenheim defender.
More importantly, Bayern Munich have been blessed with the emergence of Alphonso Davies this season. The Canadian youngster, thought originally to be a left-winger, has really impressed the onlookers with his performances in the left-back role, especially in the win over Borussia Dortmund earlier in the summer.
As a result, Davies has become the premier left-back for Bayern this season, with Alaba playing in a more central role. But, with the Bavarians expected to sign a new defender in January, the Austrian international faces an uncertain future at the club.
Chelsea, in that regard, could turn out to be an appealing destination for the 27-year-old. The Blues have struggled with their own problems in the left-back area, with Marcos Alonso failing to impress Frank Lampard while Emerson Palmieri, too, has appeared terribly inconsistent.
This has forced Lampard to rely on Cesar Azpilicueta in the LB slot, with Reece James playing on the opposite flank, in recent weeks. And given Emerson’s performance in the recent win over Nottingham Forest, it’s unlikely that the Chelsea boss would want to consider him as his first-choice left-back during the remainder of the campaign.
That’s where Alaba comes into the fray. The Bayern Munich star is known for his technical prowess and could, therefore, combine well with the likes of Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi on the far side. Moreover, he is proficient in set-pieces, which could significantly boost Chelsea’s overall chance creation.
But most importantly, Alaba has a wealth of experience at the highest level of football, having made over 360 competitive appearances with Bayern. This rich experience could help him integrate quickly to the fast-paced nature of the Premier League and help Chelsea become even more solid at the back. That being said, it’s unlikely Bayern Munich would want to let go of their star asset, knowing he is just 27 and still has a lot to offer.
