Manchester United will reportedly provide stiff competition to Chelsea in the race to sign Jonathan Clauss from RC Lens this summer.
According to a report by London Evening Standard, Chelsea will need to fend off stiff competition from Manchester United in the race to sign Jonathan Clauss in the summer transfer window. The French international could leave RC Lens, who will demand £8 million to part ways with him.
Jonathan Clauss joined RC Lens from Arminia Bielefeld in July 2020 and has established himself as one of the best full-backs in Europe since then. The French defender has been a pivotal figure for the Ligue 1 outfit in the last two years and has broken into his national team due to his exploits at the club level.
The 29-year-old was among the most productive full-backs in the top five European leagues this past season, amassing five goals and 11 assists in 40 appearances. Clauss’s performances have not gone unnoticed either, with several European bigwigs, including Chelsea and Manchester United, setting their sights on him.
The interest from Chelsea stems from the rising uncertainties surrounding the future of Cesar Azpilicueta. The Chelsea captain is keen on joining Barcelona this summer, leaving the Blues in a spot of bother over his long-term future. Clauss has thus emerged as a viable target who can compete with Reece James for the right wing-back spot.
The west Londoners have reportedly established contact to discuss a summer move for the French international. But Chelsea will have to fend off stiff competition from Manchester United to secure the services of Clauss.
Manchester United will look to offload Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the summer transfer window, even offering the former Crystal Palace full-back to several clubs. And while Diogo Dalot will likely remain at Old Trafford, the Portuguese international is not good enough to be the first-choice right-back for Manchester United. Clauss is thus an option worth considering for the Red Devils.
The 29-year-old will not cost a bomb, with Lens demanding £8 million to part ways with him this summer. The emergence of Manchester United changes the equation for Chelsea, and it will be interesting to see how this transfer saga evolves in the coming days as both clubs seek a solution for the right flank.
