Leicester City defender Ryan Bertrand has reportedly emerged as a potential target for Chelsea, who are in the market for a new left-back.
According to Fichajes Futbol, a potential return to Stamford Bridge could be on the cards for Ryan Bertrand in this January transfer window. The 32-year-old Leicester City defender has emerged in Chelsea’s list of potential targets as the club looks to sign a new left-back this month.
The Blues are experiencing a difficult period lately. While their performance against Liverpool was lauded by many, the draw left them ten points adrift of league leaders Manchester City. But perhaps most importantly, they have now lost two of their premier full-backs in Reece James and Ben Chilwell.
Chelsea are already targeting a move for Kieran Trippier in order to bring in cover for James, who has been ruled out for the foreseeable future after sustaining a hamstring injury. But the club is also in the market for a left-back after Ben Chilwell confirmed he needs a knee surgery that will likely rule him out for the rest of the season.
It has accentuated the need for a new left-back, with Bertrand emerging as a potential target for the reigning European champions this January.
A native of London, Bertrand was on Chelsea’s books for ten years until 2015 after joining their academy in 2005. But during this period, he featured in just over 50 competitive matches for the club, completing loan spells at Norwich City, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and most notably, Southampton.
The Saints signed the defender on a permanent deal in 2015 after an impressive first season at St. Mary’s. He made a total of 240 appearances for the club before joining Leicester City on a free transfer last summer. Unfortunately for the 32-year-old, the move has turned out to be disastrous so far, as he has fallen behind Luke Thomas in the pecking order, making only four league appearances.
Bertrand’s precarious situation at Leicester has put Chelsea on alert, as the Blues eye a potential return to Stamford Bridge for the defender. However, the Premier League giants are primarily favouring a move for Lucas Digne and Theo Hernandez, with Bertrand only being identified as a contingency option.
Digne is reportedly keen on playing for Chelsea, whereas the interest in Hernandez also remains strong. As such, it won’t be surprising to see the Blues sign either of these two talented players in January rather than going after a Premier League veteran in the form of Bertrand.
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