Welcome To London – Chelsea To Sign Belgian Defender

Chelsea are reportedly set to hijack a deal for Southampton loanee Toby Alderweireld as per the Metro. The Saints have an agreement to sign the player for 7m but Chelsea are reportedly poised to interrupting any potential deal and are weighing a bid for the player’s services.

The 26-year-old is a top defensive target for manager Ronald Koeman after impressing at St Mary’s Stadium this season, making 26 league appearances. However, Blues boss Jose Mourinho sees the Belgium international as a potential replacement for Filipe Luis, who has struggled to hold down a regular first team role.

Jose Mourinho would be willing to make an Alderweireld / Filipe Luis swap deal with Atlético. Signing a left-back is high on Atlético’s list of priorities and Diego Pablo Simeone is after one in particular – a player who he has great faith in and was forced to let go just over a year ago given the financial clout wielded by Chelsea: Filipe Luis.

However, José Mourinho does not have a mind to let Filipe Luis go so easily. He is not one of his regular starters, but is still an important part of the squad who were crowned Premier League champions this season, and so he will either demand the €17 million that the club has valued the player at, or someone very good going the other way in order to reduce that price.

There are a couple of names on the London club’s radar as possible bargaining chips in a potential deal. They are Joao Mirandaand Toby Alderweireld. In fact, Mourinho would be more interested in the Belgian than the Brazilian. Alderweireld could well be the key to unlocking Felipe Luis from his obligations in London. If Atleti are willing to accept a swap, Simeone will recover his prized full-back and will only have to look for a replacement for a player who, as things currently stand, still forms part of his plans for next season.