Chelsea and Everton are reportedly among a number of clubs that are chasing the signature of Lille midfielder Thiago Mendes in the summer.
The Daily Star have ran a story that Chelsea and Everton have entered the race to sign Thiago Mendes. The Lille midfielder has been drawing interest from a lot of European clubs from the top five leagues, with Premier League one of the touted summer destinations for the Brazilian.
Daily Star credit the story to journalist Duncan Castles, who explained the entire report on the Transfer Window podcast. According to the expert, the Lille midfielder has been on Chelsea’s radar for quite some time now, with the 27-year-old also drawing interest from Everton, West Ham United, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace at different points of time during the last year or so.
Castles added,“ He’s now a candidate for also Everton. They were considering him in January when it looked possible that Paris St-Germain might take Idrissa Gueye from them and they saw Thiago as a potential replacement for Gueye. But his performances this season have got to the level where he’s now got Chelsea looking at him, been scouting him extensively I’ve been told in the last few months.”
“He is one of several players in the Lille squad who Lille are ready to sell this summer if they get good offers for. But an interesting one I think from Chelsea’s perspective because I don’t think he’ll be a particularly expensive purchase, unless there’s a lot of competitive interest in him, you’re looking at probably €30m for Thiago Mendes.”
Thiago Mendes joined Lille from Sao Paulo in 2017 and has since become a key player at the club. Mendes has been one of the regular faces in the starting eleven, with Lille on course for an impressive Ligue 1 campaign, sitting second on the table, with a six-point cushion over third-placed Lyon with four games to go.
Mendes though, is not a flashy player and is more a defensive midfielder of the mould of Casemiro or Fernandinho. Chelsea have struggled to find a sturdy three-man roster in midfield, with Jorginho and N’Golo Kante the only ones to have impressed so far, that too not in entirety.
While Mendes is not a typical Chelsea signing, the 27-year-old will add more cushion to the back four and will allow Jorginho to dictate the tempo of the game, with the Italian freed from thinking of his defensive duties. Kante can also venture forward without worrying of being overrun on the counter.
At €30 million, Mendes would represent a deal well done for Chelsea, if they are allowed to sign players in the summer transfer window. The Brazilian could be set for a summer of choices, especially if the Premier League clubs come knocking at Lille’s door.
