RB Leipzig centre back Castello Lukeba has been a revelation this season and has attracted interested from the Premier League in almost no time.
French source RMC Sport (via 90min) has claimed that the 21-year-old is ‘being monitored’ by Liverpool and Manchester United ahead of 2025, while Caught Offside reports that Chelsea are also keen on signing the youngster.
Lukeba has a £75 million release clause in his contract with Leipzig and with increasing demand for his services, it is likely that the Bundesliga side demands the payment of the sum as opposed to being prepared for negotiations. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if clubs from other leagues in Europe are interested in his signing too.
Competition likely to ensue between Chelsea and Liverpool
If there happens to be a three-way battle between Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, the Red Devils are likely to be the first ones to drop out. They have spent big money on the likes of Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro, Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt in recent times and consequently, signing a central defender may not be a priority for them.
Chelsea also have invested a lot but they don’t seem to be shying away from topping their own expenditure, especially when it comes to younger players. Moreover, it is arguable that Lukeba is a better defender than any of their current options and as a result, he could be a worthy addition to the Blues’ squad despite his lucrative price tag.
Liverpool, meanwhile, could be the favourites for his signing as their best central defender, Virgil van Dijk, is past his 30s and they have big shoes to fill in the position after the departure of Joe Gomez as well earlier this summer. Lukeba joins a list of numerous targets wanted by the Reds and it will be interesting to see where he ranks on their list of priorities.
It remains to be seen if the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur also show interest in him during the transfer window, in which case the race for his signature could be an enticing affair.
