Ousmane Diomande now a more attainable target than £52m player, Chelsea are interested in both

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With the transfer window now open, Chelsea could sign a new central defender this month.

Chelsea have been linked with Sporting Lisbon’s Ousmane Diomande, while a report from Foot Mercato has just claimed that the Blues have opened talks with Nice over a deal for Jean-Clair Todibo.

And journalist Ben Jacobs, writing in his column for Si Phillips Talks Chelsea, has suggested that the former is the more attainable target for the Blues.

According to Jacobs, Nice do not want to sell the centre-back and it will take around €60m (£52m) for someone to actually sign him.

Thiago Silva’s contract expires at the end of the season, which explains why Chelsea are in the market for a new central defender. However, if he does leave Stamford Bridge, Mauricio Pochettino will still have Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill.

Ousmane Diomande more attainable than Jean-Clair Todibo

Tottenham Hotspur are also thought to be very keen on Todibo, so perhaps Diomande could be easier to sign.

However, Nice do not look to be making things easy for them, with Fabrizio Romano claiming on X that the French club are going to be slow with things, which has resulted in Tottenham turning to Radu Dragusin.

You do have to wonder, though, if Chelsea really need to go all out for Todibo or Diomande.

It is not like Silva is finished. He is still performing at the top level and put in a good display against Luton Town over the weekend. No Chelsea player managed to make more clearances than the Brazilian on the day (WhoScored).

And again, if he does leave Stamford Bridge when his contract runs out, Pochettino still has other options.

Nevertheless, it is quite evident that Chelsea want to bring in a new centre-back, with Diomande and Todibo two names they seem to have on their list.