Manchester City are reportedly keen to sign Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell in the summer transfer window, and his potential exit cannot be ruled out.
The 26-year-old is a player Pep Guardiola admires. The Spaniard wanted to sign the left-back before he joined the Blues for £50 million in 2020, and there is “genuine interest” from City to sign him next summer, as sources revealed to The Athletic.
City are looking to sign another left-back in the summer after the departure of Joao Cancelo. Nathan Ake has filled the role admirably, but the Dutchman is not a natural full-back. He cannot be a long-term solution for City, and that’s why Guardiola has earmarked Chilwell as a potential option.
Chilwell, who has made 76 appearances for the Blues in all competitions so far, is happy at Chelsea and comfortably settled with his family near the club’s training ground in Cobham. He was a part of the Chelsea side that defeated Manchester City to lift the Champions League in 2021, and the fans simply love him.
Crucial summer window
The summer transfer will be absolutely crucial for Chelsea. The Blues are unlikely to finish in the top four this season (11 points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur) despite winning back-to-back Premier League games against Leicester City and Leeds United, and it could affect their transfer plans.
After spending over £500 million on signings in the past two windows, the Blues must balance their books otherwise they risk failing to meet the financial fair play rules. The club will definitely look to bring in some new players, but before that, they have to plan a mass clear-out.
Chilwell was superb against Leicester and reminded everyone of his quality as he netted the opening goal for the Blues. He has two years remaining on his current deal and he is valued at around £35m by Transfermarkt so Chelsea can command a high transfer fee in case they decide to let him go.
Ideally, the club should look to keep him but his injury record – suffered a serious knee ligament and hamstring injury since moving to Stamford Bridge – could force them to alter their plans if there’s a tempting offer on the table from Man City.
