Chelsea will reportedly ready a £20 million bid for Leicester City midfielder Danny Drinkwater even as the Foxes are demanding £30 million
According to a report by Daily Mail, Antonio Conte is keen to step up his pursuit of Danny Drinkwater by submitting a £20 million bid. Leicester are believed to be holding out for £30 million, and it remains to be seen if Conte can change their mind. The Italian manager will be desperate to sign reinforcements after their opening day loss.
Conte is likely to be frustrated at how things have panned out. He already shelled out a lot of money in procuring Tiemoue Bakayoko from Monaco this summer, but the Frenchman is yet to recover from a knee injury. The defeat against Burnley clearly pointed out several problem areas in the midfield for Chelsea.
The fact that Cesc Fabregas picked up a red card will only heighten Conte’s worries since he will now have to sit out the next game against Tottenham on Sunday. Nemanja Matic’s absence is widely felt in the Blues midfield, thus making Drinkwater a viable – and much needed – target.
Prying Drinkwater from Leicester’s grasp might be tough since he signed a new four-year contract with Leicester City only last summer. However, the power of the transfer window can never be underestimated and, hence, it will come as no surprise if Conte does manage to sign Drinkwater.
The 27-year-old was an integral part of Leicester City’s Premier League-winning squad. The player truly flourished under then manager Claudio Ranieri and was instrumental in a lot of their victories. In fact, his performances last year even earned him a call to join the England squad in March 2016.
Drinkwater partnered exceptionally well with N’Golo Kante at the King Power stadium. Chelsea signed a deal with Kante last summer and the Englishman’s form has only declined after that. Granted, Leicester were struggling as well, but there was just something lacking in the midfielder’s performances.
Kante was a rock in the midfield for the Foxes and has become a solid member of Conte’s squad as well. He has lived up to his billing and had a major part to play in Chelsea’s fortunes last season. Thus, a move for Drinkwater can strengthen Chelsea’s midfield further since Drinkwater and Kante are proven to be strong partners.
In terms of opportunity, this will be a huge deal for Drinkwater since he will get to play for the defending champions and compete in the coveted Champions League as well. Joining the Blues can provide a lot more for Drinkwater to further his career, and a deal could be a good chance for the player.
