Chelsea seem to be taking the necessary steps towards finding a replacement for Thiago Silva in the summer. The 37-year-old defender is set to leave Stamford Bridge at the end of the season once his deal with the Blues expires.
While Silva has previously admitted that he would like to still play at the age of 40, he's already dropped hints that he could soon retire from international duty following Brazil's premature exit from the World Cup. The west Londoners are in the market for a new centre-half with RB Leipzig star Josko Gvardiol heavily linked to a move.
Chelsea hold an interest in the 20-year-old, but the German giants do not want to sell the defender, football.london understand. As Gvardiol continues to impress for Croatia at the World Cup, signing him services could prove to be a difficult task with a number of top European clubs eyeing a move of their own.
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The Croatian is set also set to demand a record-breaking fee with the Blues having already submitted a formal offer in the region of £81million, according to French outlet Foot Mercato. It's believed that Manchester United have 'formalised' their interest with a proposal of £77million.
Foot Mercato add that Pep Guardiola's Man City are ready to out-bid Chelsea and are willing to offer £86million for Gvardiol. With the defender set to play a key role for Croatia in the remainder of the World Cup, his asking price could rocket in the coming days so the Todd Boehly has found a cheaper alternative.
Spanish outlet Sport has reported that Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are ready to lock horns for the signing of Real Madrid Castilla defender Rafa Marin. The 20-year-old centre-back sees his deal with the Spanish giants' 'B team' expire in the summer making him available via a free transfer.
He has been called up to the Real Madrid first-team on a number of occasions. According to Diario AS, Marin is said to have impressed both Carlo Ancelotti and former boss Zinedine Zidane.
While Gvardiol may be the more attractive option, due to the finances involved, Marina has emerged as a potential wildcard candidate to bolster Chelsea's defence if Silva leaves. Or indeed as a long-term replacement.
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