Manchester United and Chelsea are reportedly set to miss out on Jonathan Clauss, who is set to join Ligue 1 giants Marseille.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United and Chelsea have been dealt with a major blow in their hopes to sign Jonathan Clauss. It appears the Frenchman is poised to join Marseille after they had their offer accepted by RC Lens.
Although Chelsea had recently stepped up their pursuit of the French wing-back, Marseille have prevailed in the chase and are expected to bag his services in the coming days. When the deal goes through, the Frenchman could become the fourth new face in the Marseille camp after Isaak Toure, Chancel Mbemba, and former Granada forward Luis Suarez.
Formerly of Arminia Bielefeld, Clauss comes with a strong reputation for emerging as one of the best wing-backs in Ligue 1 during his time at Lens. With eight goals and 18 assists over the past couple of years, the 29-year-old had played a key role behind Lens’ rise to relevance lately, with the full-back even making four appearances for the French national team.
In light of his rapid rise to prominence, Clauss was identified as an ideal target for Chelsea. The Blues are still running the risk of losing Cesar Azpilicueta this summer, and the Spaniard’s exit could leave Reece James as the only reliable option at right wing-back.
The addition of Jonathan Clauss could have fixed the issue, as the Frenchman is a competent right wing-back who is capable of producing the goods going forward. Such qualities had forced Manchester United to join his pursuit as well, with Erik ten Hag reportedly on the hunt for a new right-back who can replace Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
The former Crystal Palace defender is not rated by the new Manchester United manager due to his lack of attacking prowess, coupled with his inconsistency. It ultimately convinced the Dutchman to go after Clauss, whose quality as an attacking wing-back could have made him an ideal fit for ten Hag’s tactical philosophy at Old Trafford.
However, it appears both Chelsea and Manchester United may have to set their sights elsewhere as the French international is currently on the verge of joining Marseille. Clauss will be hoping for a successful start to the new season with the Ligue 1 giants, as it could boost his chances of being selected in the French squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
