Chelsea could be set for a three-way battle with Manchester United and Tottenham in the race to sign Joachim Anderson this summer.
According to Danish news outlet BT, Chelsea have joined Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the pursuit of Joachim Andersen this summer. The Lyon defender has attracted a lot of interest from Premier League clubs during his successful loan spell at Fulham this season and a big-money move could be on the cards this summer.
Andersen’s representatives are even set to attend a meeting with Tottenham in the coming weeks, while Leicester City and Crystal Palace are also involved in the chase, apart from Chelsea and Manchester United.
The defender, though, is not averse to remaining at Fulham as he has a good relationship with manager Scott Parker, although that would largely hinge on the Cotaggers retaining their Premier League status by the end of the campaign. The Dane initially joined Fulham last summer in a season-long loan deal.
He was brought in to supplement a defensive unit that was going to face a lot of challenges in the top-flight. Andersen endured a difficult start to the campaign, but has stepped up since the turn of the year. His determination, skill and leadership have made him a lynchpin in the Fulham backline, with the player even being awarded the role of captaincy by Parker.
Andersen’s performance have not gone unnoticed by Premier League giants either, with Chelsea, for one, now ready to make a move for the on-loan Lyon star.
It appears the Dane has been identified as a potential long-term replacement for the ageing Thiago Silva. A move to Stamford Bridge could also see him unite with compatriot Andreas Christensen while Thomas Tuchel himself favours technically astute leaders like him.
The same applies to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as the Manchester United manager hopes to bolster his defensive options this summer. Someone like Andersen could greatly supplement a backline that has struggled with consistency while the Dane might also turn out to be an ideal replacement for Eric Bailly, who faces an uncertain future at Manchester United.
Should Manchester United cash in on Eric Bailly this summer? | THT Opinions
Tottenham, meanwhile, could be an interesting option as Jose Mourinho is not exactly fond of the technically astute centre-backs. In Andersen, though, he could find himself an ideal long-term replacement for Toby Alderweireld.
The 24-year-old is more than capable of threading diagonal balls out from the back that could be useful for runners like Son Heung-min. Andersen himself does not seem to have a future at Lyon, which might pave the way for the Lilywhites to secure his services on a cut-price this summer. Chelsea and Manchester United, though, might have something to say about Spurs’ move for him.
