Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has big plans in the transfer window once Raheem Sterling joins from Manchester City. According to reports, the German wishes to make three signings at centre-back alone following the imminent arrival of Sterling.
Having yet to sign a single first-team player so far this summer, Tuchel is in dire need of reinforcements given that rivals Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal have already strengthened significantly so far this window. Todd Boehly's arrival as owner means Tuchel will have a supposed £200million transfer war chest to spend on new players. And with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen departing the club on free transfers, centre-back is a position of real worry for Tuchel.
According to the Telegraph, he is 'desperate' for Boehly to fix his defensive crisis this summer if the club are to challenge for silverware. The report states that Sterling was finalising his £45m move from the north west on Friday evening, whilst City defender Nathan Ake has also agreed personal terms on a return to Stamford Bridge.
However, despite their double deal from the current Premier League champions, Tuchel understands that Ake alone is not enough to bolster an already depleted defence and wants two more new centre-halves. Tuchel is desperate to replace Rudiger and Christensen, while the Blues may also lose both Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso to Barcelona.
Thomas Tuchel could be in the market for multiple centre-backs this summer (Image: GETTY)
The report states that deals for four defenders are on the cards to solve their problem. Juventus prodigy Matthijs de Ligt and Sevilla star Jules Kounde are on Tuchel's shortlist as the German looks to bring down the average age of the squad.
However, the club also apparently hold an interest in Napoli hero Kalidou Koulibaly, whilst Paris Saint-Germain defender Presnel Kimpembe too interests Tuchel having worked with the Frenchman at the Parc des Princes. If Ake signs, a deal is most likely for Kounde due to Sevilla's willingness to move him on in order to rebuild their squad.
But with Koulibaly and Kimpembe likely to cost less than the 23-year-old, Chelsea may opt for another older centre-back to join the already ageing Thiago Silva in south-west London. The Blues finished 19 points behind eventual champions City in the title race last season, although a spate of injuries around the festive period had a huge part to say in that.
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Matthijs de Ligt has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge (Image: GETTY)