Transfer Talk: Chelsea finally close in on Fofana signing

Chelsea and Leicester are close to agreeing a deal to send centre-back Wesley Fofana to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have had three previous bids for Fofana rejected — but now a reported £75million offer looks to be enough.

The 21-year-old defender failed to turn up to training one day last week and has been working with the Under-23s as he tries to push through a move.

Despite Leicester insisting they would not sell Fofana for less than the £80m they received for Harry Maguire three years ago, The Guardian report a deal is close.

The Frenchman will not be involved as the Foxes visit Stamford Bridge this afternoon.

He would become the seventh senior signing of the summer for Thomas Tuchel and give the Blues much-needed depth in the centre of defence.

Kalidou Koulibaly arrived from Napoli in July but the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen on free transfers have left the German short of options.

Brendan Rodgers’ only signing of the window has been that of back-up keeper Alex Smithies on a free from Cardiff.

But he will be given some of the fee to spend on new faces and The Mail say Borussia Dortmund’s Swiss defender Manuel Akanji is on Leicester’s wanted list.

In other news

Manchester United are considering pulling the plug on their efforts to sign Antony after Ajax rejected a bid worth £76million, according to The Telegraph.

Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio reports United have made an approach for Chelsea target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

ESPN believe Celtic defender Matt O’Riley is attracting interest from Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund.