Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Fabrizio Romano confirms Chelsea plan to sell £50m star, as January transfer to unbeaten giant awaits

Chelsea stars Christopher Nkunku and Ben Chilwell

Ben Chilwell is expected to be on the move in January

Chelsea plan to offload left-back Ben Chilwell at the earliest possible opportunity and an unbeaten European giant are reportedly showing ‘strong interest’ in making a move.

Chilwell does not feature in Enzo Maresca’s plans, with Marc Cucurella first choice and ably backed up by summer signing Renato Veiga.

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea’s plan is to sell Chilwell in the January window.

Romano wrote on X: “The plan remains to part ways in January with Chilwell expected to be one of the players set to leave Chelsea.”

The 27-year-old cost roughly £50m when bought from Leicester City back in 2020. The Blues will struggle to recoup a fee close to that sum, though they do reportedly have a suitor ready to splash the cash.

Reports claim Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid are showing ‘strong interest’ in Chilwell and a mid-season transfer is being targeted.

Atletico have started the new campaign in fine fashion and following Angel Correa’s last-gasp equaliser against Real Madrid last time out, they’re one of just two unbeaten sides in LaLiga after eight games (four wins, four draws). The other is Real Madrid (five wins, three draws).

READ MORE: The key contract details of every Chelsea first-team player: Expiry dates, weekly wages, agents…

Chilwell has Premier League interest too

Chelsea sought to offload Chilwell over the summer, with the defender part of the so-called ‘bomb squad’ of stars Maresca had no intention of using.

Chilwell has featured just once this season on the back of failing to secure a transfer away. His only outing came in the EFL Cup thrashing of League Two side Barrow.

In the event Chilwell were to join Atletico Madrid he’d link up with former Blues teammate Conor Gallagher.

The all-action midfielder signed to the tune of £34m and has started Atletico’s last five matches in LaLiga, scoring two goals during that span.

Chilwell may yet have options to remain in England, with the Sun detailing Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town’s interest in mid-September.

Both Premier League sides are said to be ‘tracking’ Chilwell, though given his lack of game-time there hasn’t been a great deal to observe of late.

Chelsea quoted new Duran fee / Ipswich alternative eyed

In other news, Chelsea are still chasing Brazilian wonderkid Joao Pedro Chermont despite seeing a bid rejected.

The Santos sensation, 18, is a right-back by trade and his contract contains a hefty €70m (£58.8m / $77.2m) release clause.

Elsewhere, TEAMtalk can confirm Chelsea also retain hope of prising Jhon Duran out of Aston Villa.

The Blues tried and failed to sign the Colombian hotshot last summer, though in lieu of his spectacular form this term, Villa are now demanding upwards of £80m.

Finally, we can exclusively reveal the Blues are weighing up a swoop for former Manchester City striker, Liam Delap.

The 21-year-old completed a £20m move to Ipswich Town in July and has scored three goals in six Premier League matches for Kieran McKenna’s side so far.

Chilwell can follow in Lineker, McMananan, Beckham footsteps

A move to Atletico Madrid would see Chilwell reunite with England teammate Conor Gallagher, who left Chelsea and joined Diego Simeone’s side in a £34million deal in the summer transfer window.

Kieran Trippier is the only other Englishman to have played for Atletico and he helped the club win the LaLiga title in the 2020/21 season.

Overall, 23 English footballers have played for a club in La Liga and Chilwell could be about to follow in the footsteps of some iconic figures.

The likes of Laurie Cunningham, Gary Lineker, Steve McManaman, David Beckham and Jude Bellingham have all won trophies in Spain.

But not every Englishman has been a success in La Liga as Jonathan Woodgate, Jermaine Pennant, Stan Collymore and Peter Barnes all endured difficult stints in Spain.

GO DEEPER: Every English player to ever join a LaLiga club