Chelsea
Vieira: Midfielder Will Cost €40m
Benfica have declared it will take a bid of exactly €40 (£31m) to prize Axel Witsel away from the club amid reported interest from Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea
With the summer transfer window in full swing, Football Talk will be keeping you up-to-date with all the latest transfer news throughout the summer. Today, Premier League clubs have been alerted to the availability of Axel Witsel.
Benfica have declared it will take a bid of €40 (£31m) to prize Axel Witsel away from the club amid reported interest from Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea.
The Belgian midfielder has shone during his first season in Portugal, having made the move to Benfica from Standard Liege in the summer of 2011.
Witsel began life as a right winger but has excelled in the middle of the park in recent years. His impressive form has attracted interest from across Europe, with the Sun claiming Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are all vying for the 23-year-old’s signature.
However, Benfica president Luis Felipe Vieira has told the Premier League trio, and any other interest party, that they are not interested in selling the powerful midfielder and he only way they will be able to land the player is if they trigger a €40m (£31m) release clause in his contract.
When asked about reported interest in Witsel and the existence of a €40m (£31m) clause, Vieira is quoted in the Sun as saying:
“We want every club to know what is the release clause for Axel.
“If they want him and if they come here and pay that fee, then there is nothing that we can do.
“But we are very happy with Axel and we do not think about selling him.”
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