Chelsea have reportedly identified Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba as an alternative if they fail to land top target Wesley Fofana.
According to reputed German journalist Florian Plettenberg, Chelsea could turn their attention to signing Edmond Tapsoba from Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen should they fail in their pursuit of Leicester City’s Wesley Fofana.
Chelsea are determined to capture Fofana from Leicester City before the transfer deadline, but they have yet to reach an agreement and are getting frustrated in their pursuit of the Frenchman. Their latest offer of around £70 million has already been knocked back by the Midlands outfit, who are demanding a whopping £80 million to part ways with their prized asset.
This was Chelsea’s third bid for the 21-year-old. And while they have not given up on landing their top target, the west Londoners are now weighing alternatives as they look to bring in a centre-back before the September 1 deadline. And Plettenberg has revealed that Bayer Leverkusen’s Tapsoba has been internally discussed as an option if Chelsea are unable to strike a deal for Fofana in the coming days.
The 23-year-old Burkina Faso international has established himself as one of the finest young defenders in the Bundesliga since swapping Vitoria Guimaraes for Bayer Leverkusen back in January 2020. And Tapsoba has played 94 games for the German outfit across all competitions to date.
Tapsoba’s performances have not gone unnoticed among the Premier League’s top clubs, including Arsenal, Manchester United, and Leicester City. And the 23-year-old has now surfaced as a viable option for Chelsea, who are already in negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen about a possible loan move for Callum Hudson-Odoi.
The player could be tempted by a move to the Premier League and a hefty pay rise. But Chelsea are unlikely to get him for cheap, given the Bundesliga giants are historically known for recouping premium prices for their top talents. The Burkinabe defender’s current contract runs through 2026, with an asking price as high as €50 million previously rumored.
As alluded to earlier, Fofana still remains Chelsea’s first priority, as he is already Premier League proven. The Frenchman is attempting to push through a move to Stamford Bridge, but Leicester City are digging in their heels. It is said that a fourth bid in the region of £80 million should be enough to find a breakthrough in discussions.
However, if Chelsea are priced out of the Fofana deal, Tapsoba could be the next man to walk through the door with the Blues desperate to bring in a defender before the closure of the transfer window. If Chelsea get a new defender, Trevoh Chalobah could leave on loan, with a number of clubs, including Inter Milan, Roma, Aston Villa, Tottenham and RB Leipzig, reportedly interested in him.