Chelsea have Milan Skriniar on their radar this summer as Thomas Tuchel looks to revamp his defence, as per the Daily Mail.
The English daily claims that the Blues are looking at Skriniar to reinforce their defence for next season. Thomas Tuchel’s side has already seen Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger depart for Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively.
Club captain and veteran Cesar Azpilicueta has also been linked with a move to Barcelona this summer. And, the Catalan club are also in talks with Marcos Alonso, who is looking to leave London. Thus it is clear that Tuchel is looking at an entirely new backline for next season.
According to the print version of Gazzetta dello sport via the Daily Mail, Skriniar has emerged as a target for Chelsea. The Slovakian is one of the most sellable assets for Inter this summer and they must sell before they can buy as they look to balance the books.
The Nerazzurri are vying for a squad rebuild this summer after missing out on the Serie A title last season. Skriniar is one of the most trusted defenders of Simon Inzaghi but offers will be heard for 27-year-old.
According to the report, Chelsea are looking to make a cash-plus player offer to the Italian side. Tuchel is prepared to incorporate Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the deal. The former Serie A champions though are not interested in any player-exchange deal as they want to reinvest the cash.
Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with Skriniar so Chelsea could face competition, and Gazette suggest that Inter may be prepared to sell if an offer worth around £51m [€60m] is put on the table.
Our View
Chelsea need to sign as many as three defenders this summer. They have already confirmed the departure of Christensen and Rudiger. Thiago Silva is 37 and cannot be expected to start every week. And, with Azpilicueta also looking to return to Spain, defensive reinforcements are the need of the hour for Tuchel.
Milan Skriniar is an excellent option at the heart of defence. The Slovakian defender has endured a subpar season by his own standards this past term, but there is no doubt that he has the required skillsets to make it big in England. He is a physical defender and technically adept on the ball, and he is a good passer.
Last season Skriniar averaged 2.5 clearances per game and 1.3 tackles per game in Serie A. He is bound to improve under Tuchel, just like Rudiger did and perhaps it might be time for him to explore new shores.
Chelsea could look to take advantage of Inter’s financial situation and land one of their most prized assets. Though, the Blues need to be wary of the fact that they are due for a squad rebuild themselves. This is, of course, to close down the gap to the top two.
