Premier League Rumors: Chelsea Linked To Possible Move For Juventus Defender

Chelsea needs a center-back badly, and the search for one is in full swing.

After failing to sign Jules Kounde from Sevilla, it appears the Blues could make a move on someone who has been struggling with his current team.

Matthijs de Ligt has been struggling with Juventus since leaving Ajax in 2019. The 22-year-old has had his share of criticism but remains a vital player for the Italian team.

De Ligt contract is good up to 2024. However, his agent, Mino Raiola, may have shared something that could see the Dutch center-back playing elsewhere heading into next summer.

It appears part of De Ligt’s contract is a clause where he would have a price tag of £128 million ($175 million) by next summer.

Hence, the logical way is to try and snag him from Juventus before that clause is activated. It seems Chelsea has that in mind, according to Sport Witness.

But again, it all boils down to money matters. The Blues were unwilling to pay £43 million ($59 million) for Kounde, a sign that they do not intend to spend that much on De Ligt or any other player to fill their center-back void.

The push to get a center-back is seen as a result of Antonio Rudiger’s impending exit from Stamford Bridge next summer.

The 28-year-old’s current contract with the Blues is set to expire after this season.

A potential contract extension has not gained much ground, and the German footballer has garnered interest from other teams such as Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Leaving Stamford Bridge is not imminent for Rudiger although it may also boil down to money.

It seems that he wants a last big-money deal for his next contract, numbers which have yet to be known.

Hence, the interest in de Ligt may be nothing more than due diligence for Chelsea in the event Rudiger walks.