Every central defender Chelsea have been linked with since Tuchel arrived

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Word of Chelsea’s pursuit for a new centre-back has spread far and wide across the footballing community without a clear suggestion where it will end.

Thomas Tuchel only took over a fortnight ago but has already been warped into the vortex of transfer speculations.

It has been widely recognised that Chelsea want to strengthen the core of their defence and have been linked with some of the game’s biggest names.

BILD Sport reported that Blues wanted at least one out of David Alaba, Dayot Upamencano and Niklas Sule.

Alaba is perhaps the most high-profile case of them all. The coveted defender is running down his contract at Bayern Munich and is set to leave this summer.

The Telegraph stated that he wanted to be paid £400,000 week for any club to acquire his services, which may be a turn off even for Chelsea’s financial riches.

His Bundesliga teammate Sule was also put up to stand, but how likely he is to leave the German giants is currently unknown.

This may depend on whether or not Bayern can secure Upamencano as a replacement for Alaba. Chelsea will have to contest their European comrades if they’re to obtain the highly-rated 22-year-old centre-half.

Real Madrid have too been placed on red alert over Alaba’s situation, especially because they have doubts over two of their own.

Sergio Ramos’s future remains uncertain, as does Raphael Varane’s, who has recently emerged as another possible target for Chelsea.

Marca delivered the news that Madrid were concerned the Frenchman wasn’t going to renew his current deal that runs out next summer.

BILD Sport also said that Chelsea were battling it out to sign Jerome Boateng, another out of contract Bayern star.

A final, and perhaps less high-profile option, is Ibrahima Konate of RB Leipzig.

The Independent claimed that Chelsea and Manchester United were ‘seriously looking’ at the talented centre-back, with Manchester United the front runners in that race.

Chelsea may need to sort out issues closer to home before they start searching abroad.

They are eager to extend Thiago Silva’s stay beyond this season (Telegraph) but also have the issue of sorting out what to do with Fikayo Tomori, who is impressing on a loan at AC Milan.