Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Crystal Palace defender Daniel Munoz, as per Colombian outlet BOLAVIP.
After winning the Club World Cup trophy last summer, the Blues initially showcased inconsistent performances this term. However, they have started performing at their best in recent weeks, winning five out of the last six games across all competitions.
Enzo Maresca’s side are currently second in the Premier League table, and if they can manage to beat Arsenal this weekend, they would be only three points behind the first spot.
On the other hand, after thrashing Barcelona in the Champions League midweek, the West London club have climbed to the top eight position.
In the meantime, Chelsea have started exploring options in the market to reinforce the squad further, and BOLAVIP claim that the Blues have identified Munoz as a serious option.
The 29-year-old still has two and a half years left in his current contract, and Crystal Palace want a fee of around £40m to let him leave. Munoz currently earns around £2.5m-a-year in salary at Selhurst Park but wants around £4.5m-a-year at his new club.
The Colombian is ‘close’ to leaving the Eagles next year; therefore, Maresca’s side can manage to secure his service should they make a concrete approach. However, sealing the deal won’t be straightforward as Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Inter Milan are also keen on him.
Munoz to Chelsea
Munoz plays as a RWB under Oliver Glasner at Crystal Palace but features in the right-back position for Colombia. He has been in excellent form in the English capital in recent times, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield.
The South American is a Premier League-proven player and could be a shrewd acquisition for Chelsea should they opt to lure him to Stamford Bridge next year.
However, Chelsea currently have Malo Gusto and Reece James as the right-back options, while Trevoh Chalobah can provide cover in this position if needed.
James has had fitness problems over the last few years, but has seemingly managed to overcome his issues. Therefore, Chelsea don’t need to invest more to add further depth in this position. Instead, they would be better off saving the money to reinforce other areas of the squad.
