Chelsea have reportedly turned their attention to defender Dayot Upamecano at German top-flight club RB Leipzig.
According to the Mirror, Blues manager Frank Lampard wants to mix up his defence in the summer transfer window and the Bundesliga centre-back is considered a priority target to try bring in for next season.
It is understood that the 21-year-old is considered a potential perfect target for current Blues star Antonio Rudiger in the heart of defence.
The report explains that Upamecano could end up leaving Leipzig in the summer with his his contract expiring in 2021, but Premier League rivals Arsenal are keen on his signature too.
Upamecano has been a key player this season for a Leipzig team that are competing for the Bundesliga title and are also in the Champions League last-16.
The Frenchman is an athletic defender with great pace and power, which is why he could be an ideal fit if he moved to England.
He’s already performing at a high level for Leipzig in the centre of a back three and has the ability to play out from the back that would work in Lampard’s system.
Upamecano is a rising talent in Europe with a bright future, so he could be a great option for Chelsea to pursue and Lampard should be backed in the window.
But he needs to work out which of his four current centre-backs he wants to work with in the long-term, as it’s fairly unclear between Andreas Christensen, Kurt Zouma, Fikayo Tomori and Rudiger who is favoured.
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