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Report: Chelsea now set sights on signing 26-year-old defender, he scored ‘sensational’ penalty last season

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Chelsea are reportedly considering Celtic full-back Josip Juranovic as a potential transfer target.

According to 90min, Chelsea have now turned their attention towards Scottish champions Celtic in their attempt to reinforce their defensive options this summer.

It is understood the Blues have been monitoring Croatian defender Juranovic, who’s also on the radar of Manchester United.

The report explains Celtic would demand at least £15million to sell the 26-year-old.

As it stands, Chelsea are believed to be weighing up a move for the attack-minded right-back.

Celtic FC v Aberdeen FC - Cinch Scottish Premiership
Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images

Chelsea considering Josip Juranovic

Juranovic, who’s now starting his second year as a Celtic player, has done enough with his performances in Scotland to grab the attention of some big clubs.

He’s a versatile defender that regularly puts in consistent performances as either a right-back or left-back for both club and country.

The Celtic star is a relative unknown compared to some of the other full-backs linked to Stamford Bridge. For instance, Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries and Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters are both linked as Chelsea targets.

These reports seem to suggest Blues manager Thomas Tuchel would like some reinforcements to compete with Reece James in the right wing-back role.

It’s intriguing to hear Juranovic’s name now appear as a left-field option.

Josip Juranovic of Celtic FC seen in action during the
Photo by Mikolaj Barbanell/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Penalty specialist

It’s not something the full-backs are necessarily renowned for, but Juranovic definitely knows his way around the penalty spot.

He had a 100 per cent success rate from his five spot-kicks last season.

In particular, he scored an outrageous panenka penalty last year in a European tie against Bayer Leverkusen that kissed the underside of the crossbar en route to goal. BBC pundit James McFadden described it as “sensational”.

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