Chelsea could sign Ben Chilwell for a cheaper fee than first expected because the left-back wants to join the Blues from Leicester City, per The London Evening Standard.

The report states that the Foxes have accepted that Chilwell will depart the club this summer and have begun succession plans, eyeing a move for Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand as a replacement.

Leicester had been hoping to receive a similar fee to the £80 million they extracted from Manchester United for Harry Maguire last summer, per the Standard.

However, the report states that, given the fact that the England international wants the move, Brendan Rodgers’ side may have to lower their asking price and accept closer to £50m for the 23-year-old.

Chelsea, nevertheless, have identified potential fall-back options, with Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico and Porto defender Alex Telles seen as alternatives if they cannot strike a deal for Chilwell.

The Blues are currently one place behind third-placed Leicester in the league, four points off Rodgers’ impressive men.

GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…

As mentioned in the Standard piece, the COVID-19 pandemic has left absolutely everything in flux.

Thus, receiving any kind of major fee for Chilwell this summer has to be seen as a win for the Foxes, who are said to have accepted that they may have to sell a major player every summer. 

Taking £50m for a player who is not absolutely integral to the way they play, allowing them to reinvest elsewhere in three or four separate areas, would be a boon to Rodgers.

Chelsea, too, will be getting a superb left-back with Premier League-proven quality, and fill a hole in their squad.

This is one of those rare transfers where both sides, selling and buying, could benefit from the deal.