Chelsea are preparing to make their first bid for summer transfer target Matthijs de Ligt, according to reports.
The Juventus defender could be set to leave Turin this summer after three seasons at the club, with the Dutchman being heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge as a result.
He recently criticised the sporting project at the Old Lady, with the club not winning the Serie A in two seasons after winning the title nine years in a row prior to the 2020/21 campaign.
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De Ligt has two years left on his contract at Juventus having signed from Ajax in 2019, but a move to Chelsea is most certainly on the cards ahead of the new campaign.
According to Gianluigi Longari, Thomas Tuchel’s side are now ‘ready’ to make their first offer for the 22-year-old as they look to complete the transfer of the centre-back.
It is said that they will offer Juventus a fee of €70 million, with bonuses added onto the bid.
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This comes after it was revealed that de Ligt is impressed with the way in which Tuchel helps to bring the best out of defenders, with Antonio Rudiger being a prime example of that.
Rudiger was one of the first names on the team sheet under the Blues boss, playing a key role in their Champions League winning run in 2021.
He has now joined Real Madrid ahead of the new season after spending five years at Chelsea, with de Ligt now potentially preparing to take his spot in the side come August.
Previous reports suggested that the Blues could use one of their current players in a cash-plus-swap deal for the defender, with Timo Werner being the speculated name that could be involved.
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De Ligt was also spotted on holiday by a Chelsea fan in Greece and was asked about his potential move to the club this summer, responding with: "I do not know, we will see!"
The defender has made 117 appearances for Juventus since his move in 2019, scoring eight goals and assisting another three in all competitions.
At the age of just 22, it is clear to see that he still has many years of game time ahead of him, and a move to west London could be the next step in his career.
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As Chelsea prepare to operate heavily in the transfer market this summer, de Ligt could be one of the first arrivals at the club as they set their sights on their first Premier League title since 2017.
Topics: Chelsea, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours, Matthijs De Ligt, Football, Transfers, Juventus
Robert Calcutt