Chelsea are reportedly leading the race to sign Arsenal and Manchester United target Natan, as per Spanish outlet Fichajes.
The Blues currently have Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Axel Disasi as centre-back options. Therefore, on paper, the West London club are well-resourced in defence.
However, Colwill has been ruled out for almost the entirety of this season due to a serious knee injury, and Disasi has found himself out of favour.
Moreover, Badiashile has struggled to prove his worth in the Premier League, while Fofana has found it difficult to stay fit. Thankfully, the former Leicester City star has been playing regularly in recent weeks.
On the other hand, Adarabioyo has been sidelined owing to a hamstring issue in recent times, and Acheampong is still very young and needs time to develop.
Jorrel Hato can also provide cover in the centre-back position if needed, but has struggled to find regular game time since joining from Ajax Amsterdam last summer.
As a result of ongoing defensive issues, Chelsea have decided to recall Aaron Anselmino from his loan. However, he is also very young and may not yet be ready to play regularly. So, perhaps, the Blues are considering signing a new defender.
Fichajes state that Chelsea have registered their interest in Natan and are ready to secure his service by launching a formal £35m bid, with his existing deal set to run until 2030.
Battle
The Brazilian’s eye-catching performances in La Liga haven’t just attracted Liam Rosenior’s side, as Real Madrid, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Manchester United are also keen on him.
However, Natan is prioritising staying in Spain, which has given Los Blancos an advantage in this race. Still, Chelsea haven’t given up hope of signing him and have already intensified their efforts, so they are currently leading the race.
Natan, standing at 6ft 2in tall, is a technically gifted left-footed centre-back. He is comfortable playing out from the back, good in the air and efficient in defensive contributions.
Therefore, the 24-year-old might be a shrewd acquisition for Chelsea should they eventually manage to secure his service by defeating other clubs in this race.
