Chelsea set to have a transfer budget of £200 million for this transfer window, expected to go for Christopher Nkunku: Reports
Chelsea has just recently changed owners in a deal worth £4.25 billion, which makes this transfer the most expensive ever for any sports club in the world. Thomas Tuchel will be given a £200m transfer budget this summer as Todd Boehly’s takeover of Chelsea nears completion, according to reports.
The UK government today announced that it issued a license that permits the sale of the Blues to Todd Boehly after the Premier League approved the Los Angeles Dodgers co-owners takeover.
There has been uncertainty surrounding the club since the Premier League club was put up for sale in March by Roman Abramovich after the owner was sanctioned for his links to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
And now that the sale looks set to go through, Tuchel and the recruitment team at Stamford Bridge can look to concentrate on future planning and potential summer signings.
A report on the internet insists that Boehly will provide Tuchel ‘£200m to spend this summer with his takeover on the brink of completion’ as the American wants to give a clear signal that they are serious about Chelsea making ground and eventually catching Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League.
The report adds ‘factoring in some anticipated player sales, Tuchel is expected to have around £200m at his disposal’ with Chelsea ready to ‘act quickly and decisively once the takeover is rubber-stamped.
How can Chelsea spend this money?
Chelsea has reportedly drawn up an eight-man list of defensive options, topped by Sevilla’s Jules Kounde, who they failed to sign last year, and RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol.
As far as putting this budget to use, it looks like Jules Kounde is a given at the top of an eight-man center back shortlist — twelve months after it was also a given but didn’t actually happen. Some of the other names on the list include recently linked Josko Gvardiol and more long-term targets like Pau Torres and Jose Gimenez.
Defense is the clear priority — plus contracts for Mason Mount, Reece James, and Edouard Mendy — with the report pretty much ruling Chelsea out on Aurelien Tchoumeni (going to Real Madrid) and Declan Rice (who would take up this entire budget).
It is anticipated Chelsea will sign Kounde, who can play on the right side of Tuchel’s favored back three but may face competition from the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur for Gvardiol and other options including Villarreal’s Pau Torres and Jose Gimenez of Atletico Madrid.
The scope of the transfer kitty could also allow Chelsea to pursue a new midfielder and attacker. Jorginho and N’Golo Kante have only one year remaining on their contracts and Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, and Christian Pulisic are open to moving away from Stamford Bridge this summer.
Chelsea remains interested in signing Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig this summer. The Blues have a long-term interest in the Frenchman and have scouted him during his sensational 2021/22 season.
Nkunku was crowned as the Bundesliga Player of the Season for his efforts throughout the campaign. The 24-year-old had 34 direct goal contributions – 19 goals and 15 assists – in 33 appearances in the German top-flight as Leipzig finished fourth in the table.
The Frenchman has established himself as one of European football’s most exciting attacking talents and is wanted by Chelsea as we approach the 2022 summer transfer window. With Todd Boehly now closer than ever to completing his takeover of the club, the Blues will be looking around the world for players that can improve Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
The Telegraph also reported that a shock move for Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling could be on the cards with the England international entering the final year of his contract. Sterling is reportedly set to wait until after England’s Nations League fixtures in June before making a decision on his future.
It came as Boehly’s drawn-out takeover of Chelsea was finally completed on Wednesday morning after sign-off from Whitehall and European authorities. A statement read: ‘Late last night the UK Government reached a position where we could issue a license that permits the sale of Chelsea Football Club.
‘Following the sanctioning of Roman Abramovich, the Government has worked hard to ensure Chelsea Football Club has been able to continue to play football. But we have always been clear that the long-term future of the club could only be secured under a new owner.
Aryan Sharma
(95 Articles Published)