Chelsea Football Club is reportedly planning a £20 million move to sign Athletic Bilbao defender, Aitor Paredes. This comes as the club seeks a potential replacement for Thiago Silva, whose contract with the West London side is set to expire in the summer.
Silva has been linked with a possible return to his former club Fluminese after his contract ends. Additionally, Trevoh Chalobah, another key player in Chelsea's defense line-up, has attracted interest from Bayern Munich for a potential January transfer. These developments have prompted Chelsea to scout for new defensive talent and they seem to have found their target in Paredes.
Paredes is an accomplished Spanish defender who came through Athletic Club's academy and has made 36 senior appearances for them. He has had an impressive run this season with 19 appearances in La Liga fixtures that helped his team secure fourth place in the standings.
According to reports, Paredes could be available at around £20 million as his contract expires only in 2025. However, Chelsea isn't alone in its pursuit of this promising player; Real Madrid and Inter Milan are also said to be interested.
Chelsea scouts are closely monitoring Paredes' progress and consider him the next big thing
Chelsea scouts have been closely monitoring Paredes' performance throughout this season. They were present during Athletic’s 2-0 win against Sevilla on Wednesday, January 3rd where he scored his side’s second goal.
The Blues are currently facing challenges with their defense due to injuries among key players such as Wesley Fofana and Chalobah. Benoit Badiashile too has struggled with injury issues which limited him to just eight appearances across competitions this season.
Given these circumstances, signing Aitor Paredes could provide much-needed reinforcement for Chelsea's defence. However, with competition from other top clubs, it remains to be seen whether Chelsea will successfully secure Paredes' signature in their quest to bolster their defense line-up.
The potential acquisition of Aitor Paredes could be a strategic move for Chelsea as they seek to strengthen their squad amidst the looming departure of Thiago Silva and possible transfer of Trevoh Chalobah. With his proven track record and impressive performance this season, Paredes could indeed be a valuable addition to the team.
