Corriere dello Sport (via the Sun) has revealed that Chelsea are set to intensify their efforts to sign Man Utd target Denzel Dumfries in the winter window.
The Blues are interested in signing the Dutchman and are ready to offer £45.5 million to Inter for his services. The report has also added that Chelsea plan on loaning him to Inter for the rest of the season, should the deal go through.
Manchester United are also interested in signing Dumfries and looked at him last summer when Erik ten Hag was keen on reinforcing his right-back options. The Red Devils, however, did not want to make any investments in that area before offloading Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
United may step-up their interest in Dumfries in January if they find a buyer for Wan-Bissaka but for now it looks like Chelsea are moving into pole position to sign the Dutch international.
The 26-year-old has opened up on the transfer links linking him with a move to Stamford Bridge. He’s quoted by The Sun as saying:
The interest flatters me, of course. But my focus is only on Inter.
“We want to win the Scudetto because we lost it last season.”
The West London club could wait until the end of the ongoing season to make their move but they would stand the risk of being rivaled by United for the player’s signature. Moreover, Inter are believed to be open to selling Dumfries to balance their books and Chelsea could use Romelu Lukaku (on loan at Inter) as a bargaining chip as the Nerazzurri are keen on keeping him beyond the end of this season.
Our View
Chelsea currently have Reece James and Cesar Azpilicueta on the right defensive flank. Azpilicueta is coming towards the end of his career so Graham Potter could be eyeing Dumfries as a replacement.
The Dutchman can play as a right-back as well as a wing-back, should the need arise. Standing tall at 188 cm, he is adept at winning aerial duels and has the physicality required to succeed in England.
In Potter’s attacking system, Dumfries could come in handy as he is known to play short passes and whip in those crosses. He has averaged 0.8 key passes per game this season and has drawn in 1.5 fouls per game on average. This highlights his offensive abilities. Dumfries has also managed to intercept 0.8 passes every game while committing to 0.9 tackles.
No doubt Dumfries is an attractive option in the market but it remains to be seen if Inter would be open to negotiating for one of their key players in the middle of the season, especially with them looking to regain the Scudetto.
