Chelsea to Consider Hijacking Arsenal's Layvin Kurzawa Move Should Ben Chilwell Pursuit Fail
Exclusive - Chelsea's hunt for a new left-back could see them hijack Arsenal's attempts to sign
Layvin Kurzawa from Paris Saint-Germain.
The left full-back position has been one of a number of problem areas for the Blues this season, and manager Frank Lampard is keen to sign a top-class option at the expense of current incumbents Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri.
Leicester and England defender Ben Chilwell is Lampard's first choice, however his £75m price tag and competition from the likes of Manchester City mean the west London club may be forced to look elsewhere, although the Cityzens are believed to be keen on Everton's Lucas Digne too.
While it has been reported that Chelsea are looking at Porto's Alex Telles, Ajax's Nicolás Tagliafico and Aston Villa's Matt Targett, a source has told 90min that PSG's Kurzawa is also an interesting option.
Arsenal also hold an interest in Kurzawa, who will be out of contract when the 2019/20 campaign eventually comes to an end. This means he will come significantly cheaper than the likes of Telles, Tagliafico and Targett, although there would be question marks as to whether he was much of an upgrade on Alonso or Emerson.
Kurzawa has been plagued by injuries since moving to the French capital from Monaco in 2015, failing to amass more than 20 league outings in a single season. He has only featured 14 times in Ligue 1 this term in another campaign hampered by fitness issues, with Juan Bernat ahead of him in Thomas Tuchel's PSG pecking order.
The 27-year-old is also seen as something of a controversial figure in France, with persistent questions over his attitude and mentality. In 2017 he was even caught up in an attempted €200,000 blackmail plot when footage emerged of him criticising France boss Didier Deschamps in a shisha bar.
Personal issues aside, should a move for Chilwell fail to materialise, Chelsea will feel confident they can beat Arsenal to Kurzawa's signature. Not only are the Blues in a superior financial position, they will likely be able to offer Champions League football next season - while it looks increasingly likely that the Gunner's will not.
Bringing the Frenchman in on a free would free up funds to reinforce the squad in central defence and up front - a transfer kitty that would also be boosted by the sales of Alonso and Emerson.
Whether Kurzawa would be interested in a move to Stamford Bridge is another matter entirely. Earlier this week it was reported that the 13-cap international is 'prioritising' a move to Barcelona over Premier League interest.
Liverpool's name has also been mentioned in the same breath, although the chances of a move to Anfield to sit on the bench behind Andy Robertson seem more remote.
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