Chelsea might be pushing ahead with deals for Marco Palestra and Maxence Lacroix, but the Blues also need a new left-back and a Premier League defender has emerged as a target.
Palestra is set to sign for Chelsea after the Blues hijacked Inter Milan’s move for the Atalanta defender. Not long after the reports that Palestra was close to joining Chelsea, links emerged regarding Lacroix.
RATE 1️⃣-🔟: Is Marco Palestra a good signing?
Serie A's Best Defender of 2025-26.
Reports say Chelsea are ready to splash £50m on Crystal Palace defender Lacroix, as Xabi Alonso looks to bring in a new centre-back to go alongside Levi Colwill, despite the Blues boasting 10 central defenders.
But neither Palestra, nor Lacroix, are replacements for Cucurella. Jorrel Hato remains Chelsea’s only senior left-back and the Dutchman was better at centre-back. Gabriel Gudmundsson has emerged as a target.
Gabriel Gudmundsson leaves door ajar to Chelsea transfer
Alvaro Carreras, Maxi Araujo, Lewis Hall and Andrea Cambiaso have all been touted as left-back targets for Chelsea this summer. But more recently, Leeds defender Gudmundsson has been linked with Chelsea.
Reports say Leeds are now valuing Gudmundsson at £30m, three times more than the £10m they paid Ligue 1 side Lille last summer. Understandably, given the 2025-26 season the Swedish ace has had.
Playing under Graham Potter at the World Cup, Gudmundsson was selected for Sweden’s pre-match press conference today ahead of their last group game against Japan. He was asked about links with Chelsea.
“It is a confirmation that you are doing something good. All the focus is on the national team here. I’ve worked with him [agent] for ten years, he knows when I’m here I want to wear this shirt, focus on that.”
Gudmundsson would be an underrated signing for Chelsea
Carreras, Araujo, Hall and Cambiaso would all be exciting, sensational signings for Chelsea. Carreras would form a reunion with Alonso, Hall has been deemed unlikely and Cambiaso has starred for Juventus.
Who would you sign to replace Marc Cucurella? 🫵
Andrea Cambiaso is the latest player to be linked.
But Araujo is more of a winger, too attacking to play as a full-back. Carreras has been ruled out and while Cambiaso seems like a solid signing, he lacks Premier League experience. Gudmundsson has it all.
For £30m, Chelsea would be getting a hard-working, proven Premier League performer approaching his prime and a regular at international level. This is a player that deserves to be playing at a higher level.
Does Gudmundsson have the kind of calibre and excitement that an Araujo or a Cambiaso have? Probably not. But he offers more consistency, more reliability than the rest. He is a low-risk signing.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
