Chelsea Told To Pay £60 Million To Secure Summer Transfer For Defender

Chelsea have been told they will need to pay around £60 million for Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar this summer, according to reports.

With Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen both leaving the club this summer, the Blues will be looking towards the transfer market in the hopes of signing their replacements ahead of next season.

Captain Cesar Azpilicueta, who has also featured heavily in the centre-back position for the club, could be another player to depart this summer, although a move away is not yet definite.

Todd Boehly, who recently completed a takeover of Chelsea alongside Clearlake Capital, will experience his first transfer window at the club as they eye another successful campaign.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Blues will need to pay Inter around £60 million this summer should they want to sign Skriniar.

Milan Skriniar for Inter Milan against Sampdoria. (Alamy)

This is the fee that the Italian giants, who recently finished runners-up in the Serie A behind AC Milan, have demanded for their centre-back.

They have recently rejected an offer of around £43 million from Paris Saint-Germain, with Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur also said to be interested in him.

Although Skriniar has just one year left on his contract at the club, it is believed that Inter will not let him leave on a cheap deal.

PSG are thought to be preparing a higher offer, with the Slovakian international being a sought after player in the market this summer.

Reports earlier in the week revealed that Chelsea made an enquiry for the centre-back, but the Blues and Inter were said to have some distance between their respective valuations of the player.

Milan Skriniar celebrates his goal for Inter Milan against Cagliari. (Alamy)

Skriniar made the move from Sampdoria to Inter in 2017 and has since made 215 appearances in all competitions, winning honours such as the Serie A and the Coppa Italia.

While the Slovakian may be on Chelsea’s radar this summer, Thomas Tuchel’s side could also be ready to sign Jules Kounde in the coming weeks.

He currently features for Sevilla and was linked with a move to Stamford Bridge last summer, but club chief executive José María Cruz has hinted that the defender could be allowed to leave and join the Blues in the transfer window.

It is thought that they will be able to pay around £55 million for the 23-year-old, with the Sevilla CEO saying that he would like to play for a more competitive team.

Chelsea are also thought to be interested in Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, having made a verbal contract offer to the player worth around £8.5 million a season.