Chelsea and RB Leipzig may become the two main stories of the 2023 summer window already, just like the Blues and Barcelona did in the most recent 2022 transfer period.
Todd Boehly spent £270million on new recruits during his first summer in charge as interim sporting director following the £4.25billion joint takeover he completed with Clearlake Capital back in May 2022.
All new signings are starting to get their feet under the table with results now starting to take a turn for the best under Graham Potter. Unfortunately, Wesley Fofana's recurring injury issues have caught up with him once more as the Frenchman suffered a knee sprain this midweek against AC Milan.
Thankfully, Potter has the likes of Trevoh Chalobah and Cesar Azpilicueta to call upon to fill in this temporary void but in the long-term, despite the more pressing needs in attack and midfield respectively, more funds may have to be sanctioned in the backline.
READ MORE: Mateo Kovacic reveals role in Josko Gvardiol pursuit and outlines his Chelsea transfer hope
Chalobah could potentially leave at the end of the season if his situation doesn't improve whilst it feels like the endgame is approaching with Azpilicueta's illustrious Chelsea career which nearly came to an end a few months ago when Barcelona came in hard for his signature.
That could be two defenders gone whilst the question over Thiago Silva's longevity remains. With this in mind, whilst internal academy graduates, maybe someone like Levi Colwill, who may be given a chance by Potter once his Brighton loan ends at the end of 2022/23, at least one more external recruit may need to be brought in for the long-term.
Therefore, knowing that Boehly wants to conduct a double transfer swoop for RB Leipzig pair Christopher Nkunku and Joško Gvardiol shouldn't come as a surprise to many. football.london understands that in regards to the former of the two, a pre-contractual agreement is already in place.
Meanwhile, with the Croatian international, having signed a new contract to maintain a high value, Chelsea have some serious negotiations to conduct if they are to get a good deal, not too inflated over the current market rate.
If the worst-case scenario was to happen and Boehly had to U-turn on his aim to poach both Leipzig stars, one defender who is now being considered once more is Alessandro Bastoni. Calcio Mercato Web have reported that both Chelsea and Man United are monitoring the Italian international defender's situation with the 23-year-old already snubbing the chance to play under Antonio Conte at Spurs.
Chelsea fans- If you had a choice out of Joško Gvardiol or Alessandro Bastoni, who would you sign and why? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
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