Chelsea are plotting an audacious swoop to sign Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde next summer, according to Fichajes.
Valverde has consistently been one of the best midfielders in Europe over the past few seasons. After trials at several clubs, including Arsenal, as per reports, the Uruguayan was accepted into the Madrid Castilla academy in 2016.
He was loaned to Deportivo de La Coruña in the 2017/18 season to gain more regular playing time before returning to Madrid the following season.
After impressing in the preseason under former coach Julen Lopetegui, he made his debut in the 2-1 UEFA Champions League group stage win against Viktoria Plzeň at the Santiago Bernabéu on October 23, 2018.
Since then, he has made 371 appearances for the Spanish giants, providing 85 goal contributions while winning several accolades for the club, including two UEFA Champions League titles and two LaLiga titles.
In the ongoing campaign, while the dressing room feud with teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni, where he was reportedly heavily fined, has made rounds in the media, it is important to note that Valverde has been one of Madrid’s best players this season, where he has netted nine goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions.
As such, it’s no surprise the midfielder is attracting keen interest, with Fichajes reporting that Chelsea have now ‘strongly’ entered the race to sign the 27-year-old next summer.
Audacious swoop
The Blues are looking to add a physical and experienced player to the middle of the park and have earmarked Valverde as a perfect fit for that role, Fichajes adds.
According to the report, Chelsea are now preparing to submit an audacious £86m formal offer to Madrid for his possible transfer to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
Chelsea currently have Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Andrey Santos, Roméo Lavia, and Dário Essugo as their midfield options.
However, the squad still needs a more experienced player, making Valverde, who has achieved remarkable success in domestic and European competition, a viable option.
The Uruguayan international would bring not only consistency and versatility, but also the winning mentality currently lacking in Chelsea’s youthful squad.
Given his experience at the highest level, Valverde would be an excellent fit for the Blues. However, doubts remain over whether he would be willing to join a side still far from consistently competing for major honours.
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