Chelsea have made a move for Wesley Fofana after suffering a setback in their attempts to tie down Antonio Rudiger, according to reports.
The Blues are desperate to convince the German star to sign a new deal, with Rudiger now in the final few months of his current contract.
Rudiger has evolved into a vital player and one of the best defenders in the Premier League under the guidance of Thomas Tuchel.
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But he has offered no guarantees over agreeing to a new contract at the club, leaving Chelsea to start drawing up contingency plans.
According to Foot Mercato, Chelsea have earmarked Leicester City defender Fofana as a possible replacement for Rudiger.
The report claims that the Blues were interested in Fofana last year before injury curtailed his impressive debut season with the Foxes.
But Chelsea now look set to revive their interest as the uncertainty over Rudiger’s future looks set to rumble on into the New Year.
Manchester United are also believed to be keeping an eye on the 20-year-old, who is closing in on a return to action after suffering a fractured fibula and ankle ligament damage in a pre-season clash with Villarreal.
Fofana adjusted to life in England with ease after his £30m switch from Saint Etienne, with the Frenchman putting in a commanding display in the FA Cup final back in May as Leicester edged out Chelsea.
It’s likely Chelsea will have to pay a huge price if they are to lure Fofana to London, with the player contracted until 2025; meaning the Foxes are likely to demand an excess of the £80m they received when Harry Maguire joined United back in 2019.
Although the Blues have started planning for life without Rudiger, there remains a possibility he could choose to stay at Stamford Bridge.
Rudiger has been reluctant to publicly comment on his future and has even tried to downplay any talk of a possible exit from the Premier League.
“For now I am only concentrating on what is happening right now,” he told reporters earlier this week. “I owe that to the club, the coach and the team.
“I’m currently only focused on Chelsea. We’ll see what happens.”
