With a current starting back line composed of a monolithic John Terry, an injured Kurt Zouma, and back shuffle phenom Gary Cahill, Chelsea are working hard to improve the situation. According to Portuguese news outlet Record (via Goal), the Blues are set to make a €30 million offer to Benfica for defender Victor Lindelof, and meet the release clause included in the player’s contract.
Wait, who?
The tall, big 22-year-old Lindelof joined Benfica from Swedish club Vasteras in 2012, becoming a regular for Benfica’s B-team. He made his debut for the Encarnados’ first team in the 2013-14 season, but only added to that appearance this past season. He made 15 appearances for the senior team in the second half of their title winning campaign in the Portuguese League, and earned his first call-up to the Swedish national team in March this year. He started all three of Sweden’s games at Euro 2016, playing center back once and right back on the other two occasions. (Sounds a bit like Branislav Ivanovic in that sense.)
Much like now-Bayern Munich midfielder Renato Sanches, Lindelof enjoyed a sudden rise to fame from Benfica’s reserve team over the past few months. He was reportedly a transfer target of pretty much every team that can afford his release clause minus Chelsea two months ago, but told the media that he was happy to stay with his club and perhaps sign a new contract (wink, wink). Since then the rumours had died down, but lest we forget, this is Silly Season And a Silly Season with Silly amounts of money, no less!
While Lindelof could be a proper upgrade to either of our current healthy options at centre back, he may be a few steps away from entering Samuel Umtiti’s price territory. Until his agent manages to get a contract renewal and a bolstered release clause though, we should hear the same murmurs from here on now.
