Chelsea are reportedly lining up a swoop for Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga as an alternative for primary transfer target Declan Rice.
According to a report from The Guardian, Chelsea have set their sights on Rennes midfield prodigy Eduardo Camavinga as they scour the transfer market for a viable alternative for West Ham United and England star Declan Rice.
Following a triumphant 2020/21 campaign during which they were crowned the champions of Europe, Chelsea are heading into the summer transfer window to bolster some key areas within the squad. And, manager Thomas Tuchel has seemingly identified the defensive midfield position as something that he wants to strengthen given as there isn’t much in terms of cover N’Golo Kante while Jorginho continues to flirt with a return to Italy.
To that end, Chelsea have once again rekindled their interest in West Ham midfielder Declan Rice. The England international had been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge but it did not materialise. Following the sacking of Frank Lampard earlier this year, the Blues’ interest in their former academy prospect also faded.
However, Tuchel is said to have identified Rice as a transfer target, thereby reigniting Chelsea’s pursuit of the Englishman. However, there have been little indications that West Ham will part ways with their star man, especially with the East Londoners set to play in Europe next season. This has led to Chelsea identifying alternative targets in place of Rice, with Camavinga emerging as one.
Having burst onto the scenes at Rennes in 2019, the French prodigy enjoyed a stunning 2019/20 term, as he essayed a key role in helping his club achieve third place in Ligue 1. This led to serious interest in his services from across Europe, but Camavinga stayed put in France. And although he and Rennes weren’t able to repeat their feats from the last season, the 18-year-old’s stock continues to soar.
What makes Camavinga an even more enticing prospect for clubs is that the teenager is entering the final year of his contract with Rennes, meaning he could be available at a relatively cheaper price. As a result, Arsenal have expressed serious interest in securing the midfielder’s signing ahead of the summer, with Chelsea also now joining the transfer hunt.
Apart from Camavinga, Chelsea also have Benfica’s Julian Weigl on their radar as well as Aurelien Tchouameni of AS Monaco. It remains to be seen if the Blues decide to push ahead with their pursuit of Rice or move for any of the aforementioned alternatives come summer.
