Chelsea receive early transfer boost as £60m defender now has ‘desire’ to play for top club

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Chelsea may be able to solve their centre-back issue as early as January.

Central defence has been a problem area for Enzo Maresca this season, with Levi Colwill sidelined with an ACL injury.

Trevoh Chalobah and Tosin Adarabioyo have also been quite shaky in Chelsea‘s recent games. Chelsea fans were disappointed with Chalobah and Adarabioyo following their displays in the team’s 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich last week.

However, the Blues could get the chance to sign a new central defender in the January transfer window.

• READ MORE: How Wesley Fofana decision could be about to cost Chelsea in bid to sign £75m Premier League star

Jarrad Branthwaite wants to play for top team

In the last transfer window, it was claimed that Chelsea were interested in signing Jarrad Branthwaite.

The 23-year-old ended up staying at Everton and putting pen to paper on a new contract. His long-term future at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, though, does not seem guaranteed.

Chelsea and other interested parties have been given a bit of a transfer boost ahead of the January transfer window.

Despite signing a new contract at Everton, according to CaughtOffside’s Daily Briefing, Branthwaite has a “desire to play for a top club” amid interest from the Club World Cup winners.

With the right offer, Chelsea may be able to fulfil the Englishman’s desire. For now, Maresca just has to hope that he can get the best out of the likes of Chalobah and Adarabioyo.

Chelsea face battle with Manchester United for Jarrad Branthwaite’s signature

Chelsea and Manchester United recently did battle on the pitch and could find themselves tussling with each other off it in January.

According to the Daily Briefing, United are also keen on Branthwaite and could make a £60m bid for the England international when the transfer window reopens.

Having signed that new contract, though, Everton will not be under pressure to sell their star defender this winter. His deal does not expire until 2030, but it would be a surprise if he stayed at the Hill Dickinson Stadium for that long amid all of this interest.