Chelsea are ‘in the final stages of their paperwork’ as they look to officially complete the signing of Wesley Fofana, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Thomas Tuchel looks set to land one of his top defensive targets following lengthy negotiations with Leicester City, finally replacing both Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.

What is the latest news involving Fofana?

After Kalidou Koulibaly arrived from Napoli, Chelsea set their sights on bringing in a younger centre-back to compliment the 31-year-old.

Sky Sports reported that the Blues saw three bids rejected by the Foxes before they eventually accepted the terms put before them, agreeing to sanction Fofana’s sale in a £70 million deal.

The France Under-21 international is said to have agreed to a six-year contract with Chelsea but is being flown out to America to undergo a medical before the move can be completed.

David Ornstein of The Athletic claims this is because the capital club’s new owners are looking for ‘additional peace of mind’ after Fofana broke his leg and injured ankle ligaments in pre-season last year.

No issues are expected to be found, though, and the 21-year-old could be in the starting lineup when Chelsea host West Ham United at the weekend.

What has Jones said about Fofana?

Jones has informed GiveMeSport that the ‘deal is done’ and that Fofana will become a Chelsea player, much to the ‘relief’ of the club’s hierarchy.

He said: “The deal is done now, and Chelsea are in the final stages of the paperwork that will confirm him as their player and allow his unveiling.

“They are really excited about this. It will be a relief to see him pictured with the shirt, and he is a big part of their future.”

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Is Fofana worth his price tag?

Fofana may have only played 82 senior club games throughout his career for Saint-Etienne and Leicester, but he has already showcased his truly top-class potential on multiple occasions.

In his maiden campaign on English shores, the 6 foot 3 ace won 3.3 aerial duels, made 2.2 interceptions, 3.3 clearances, and 0.6 blocks, placing him in the top two for each metric amongst his teammates, as per WhoScored.

Injury disrupted Fofana’s development last season, limiting him to just seven Premier League appearances, though.

Yet Fofana worked his way back to his best by the end of 2021/22, and Chelsea are splashing out for his potential to become of the world’s most dominant centre-backs as well as his ability at present.