Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana has told the club he “wants to leave” and complete a move to Chelsea, reports Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian.
This move will be the most recent of the West London club’s defensive acquisitions as the club replaces key departures from this summer’s window, including Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Wesley Fofana Wants to Leave Leicester City for Chelsea
Why Does Wesley Fofana Want to Leave?
Whilst the player himself hasn’t made any public statements about hoping for a move, there are plenty of factors to tempt him. The first of which is the Foxes’ relatively lacklustre start to the season. After a draw at Brentford and a dismantling at the hands of Arsenal, the promising young centre-back may be considering a move to greener pastures.
The World Cup in November is another potential influence over his decision-making. The Frenchman has no caps for the national team as of yet, and if he wants a place on the plane to Qatar, he needs to perform at a more visible level. A move to Chelsea with good Champions League performances is the ideal platform from which to displace the likes of Presnel Kimpembe and William Saliba.
What Are Chelsea Bidding?
Whilst the defender wants the move, he feels that a price of £80-85 million risks pricing him out of the switch. After all, this is approaching the world record fee for a defender. Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers has little interest in letting the player go. He stated that Chelsea were not “anywhere close” to the club’s valuation for the player.
🚨Wesley Fofana tells Leicester he wants to leave and join Chelsea. #CFC
– @JacobSteinberg pic.twitter.com/MwQ9Rm6QZK
— Ali (@CFC_Ali10) August 16, 2022
However, the Blues are unlikely to back down from this deal. The match against Tottenham Hotspur saw Ruben Loftus-Cheek playing at right wing-back, with the sensational Reece James shunted into the back three. This means that Wesley Fofana offers the depth that Chelsea require to compete in the Champions League without these position shifts.
All things considered, the Stamford Bridge hierarchy remain interested in the move. Regardless of the cost, the Blues need a centre-back and Fofana is an excellent talent.
Is the Move Likely?
Surprisingly, a deal may still happen for the youngster. In spite of the Leicester manager’s protesting, the Midland club needs to sell in order to buy players in this window. It’s late in the month, but £80 million is still a significant war chest for adding some squad depth.
As Chelsea keep the pressure up and Leicester’s results keep faltering, the Frenchman’s move to Cobham is looking more and more likely.
