Arsenal Star Favorite To Replace Ben Chilwell At Leicester City, Report Says

As Chelsea closes in on the completion of Ben Chilwell’s transfer, Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers has set his sights on his former player, Arsenal star Kieran Tierney, as a worthy replacement for his exiting left-back, a report said.

Chilwell’s £50 million ($65.5 million) move to Chelsea has been one of the biggest transfer stories this summer, with the latest reports saying the Leicester standout joining Frank Lampard’s side is a done deal. Amid Chilwell’s impending departure, the Foxes shortlisted “a number of options” but found an immediate replacement in Arsenal’s Tierney, 90min reported.

Rodgers is keen on filling the hole Chilwell will leave behind in his squad, with Tierney currently at the top of his wishlist, the report said. The Leicester boss had worked with Tierney during his time at Celtic, and HITC suggested that the pair’s past collaboration could intensify the possible transfer deal.

Tierney got off to a slow start with the Gunners since joining the club in August last year due to a series of injuries. However, the 23-year-old left-back managed to bounce back and became an integral part of Mikel Arteta’s squad during the latter stages of the past season, including helping Arsenal win the FA Cup.

Tierney’s possibly reunion with Rodgers may progress after Chilwell moves to Chelsea.

Lampard’s side has done a tremendous job in revamping its squad in the transfer window. After securing deals for Hakim Ziyech from Ajax and Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, the Blues did not hesitate to invest in another major signing.

The arrival of Chilwell is perceived to be the club’s third major signing this window, and the club is not too far from finalizing a deal for Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz.

Aside from Havertz, Chelsea is also linked to two highly-rated prospects this summer, Atletico Madrid's Jan Oblak and Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

The Blues is said to be keen on pursuing Oblak from Atletico following rumors claiming the 27-year-old has grown tired of his current club's lack of winning capability and “the sporting project” that's currently being embarked on with the Spanish side. He is currently valued at £80 million ($105 million).

Rennes standout Mendy, on the other hand, is believed to have already been on Chelsea's radar for some time now, but there have been no concrete offers made yet for the goalkeeper's signature.