Chelsea are keeping tabs on 20-year-old Verona centre-back Marash Kumbulla – as per reports.
The youngster has come up the ranks at Verona and has been playing for the senior side from 2018 and this season, the defender has already played in 18 Serie A games for the Italian side.
And it seems like Frank Lampard has grown a liking towards the defender with reports claiming that Chelsea want to sign him in the summer transfer window.
But this though will be easier said than done since Inter Milan have also set their eyes on Marash Kumbulla for quite some time and it seems like Antonio Conte is also planning a bid for centre-back.
And while some reports claim that Marash Kumbulla is eager to stay back in Italy but it looks like Chelsea could steal the transfer since as per reports, the Blues are willing to pay the amount upfront – something Inter Milan are not ready to do.
Marash Kumbulla: A good signing?
The player is expected to cost around 21 million pounds which is a fairly low transfer price in terms of today’s market.
#cfc Chelsea are prepared to pay £21million upfront to sign Hellas Verona star Marash Kumbulla, according to reports in Italy. pic.twitter.com/MpGVu1fGnP
— Chelseafc Official (@ChelseaFile) March 26, 2020
But according to Whoscored.com, Marash Kumbulla is not particularly a ball-playing central defender. The player’s key attributes are tackling and ariel duels which mean he is sort of a robust player and not a finesse one.
Chelsea do have one solid defender in the form of Antonio Rudiger but Frank Lampard has not been able to find a long-term replacement to David Luiz after the player left for Arsenal last summer.
Defenders like Kurt Zouma and Tomori have been really average for Chelsea up until now meaning the manager will surely be looking to bring in a long-term partner to Rudiger this summer.
But what remains to be seen is if a 20-year-old defender has what it takes to be a regular in Chelsea’s first XI that too in his first season in England.
Man City & Everton also interested?
According to some reports, Chelsea aren’t the only club interested in signing the defender since Manchester City and Everton have also been keeping tabs on him.
Both City and Everton like Chelsea are in need of defensive reinforcements and they could make a move for Kumbulla in the summer.
And while Chelsea do have the financial backing to fight off interests from these two Premier League clubs but what they don’t have are men like Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti.
Ancelotti and Guardiola are two of the biggest footballing coaches in world football and if given a chance any player would choose to play under these kinds of managers instead of a novice like Frank Lampard.
