90min

Leicester Maintain Ben Chilwell Is Not for Sale Amid Intensified Chelsea & Man City Interest

By Ali Rampling

Leicester would require a bid close to £89m before considering selling Chilwell
Leicester would require a bid close to £89m before considering selling Chilwell / Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images
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Leicester are prepared to stand their ground and insist that Ben Chilwell is not for sale this summer, despite interest from Premier League heavyweights Chelsea and Manchester City.

The coronavirus outbreak has done little to deter Chelsea from spending lavishly this summer, having agreed a €60m deal with RB Leipzig for highly sought-after striker Timo Werner on Thursday.

Bankrolled by the £89m sale of Eden Hazard last summer, the Blues are set to to turn their attention to Leicester left-back Chilwell, but the Foxes are prepared to dig their heals in and will only listen to eye-watering offers for the 23-year-old.

Chilwell has emerged as a target for Manchester City and Chelsea
Chilwell has emerged as a target for Manchester City and Chelsea / Visionhaus/Getty Images

According to a report in the Telegraph, Leicester have no intention of selling the England international.

Although they have refused to place a valuation on Chilwell, the report states they would require a bid to rival that paid by Manchester United for Harry Maguire last summer before Leicester will even start considering doing business.

United forked out £85m to bring Maguire from the King Power to Old Trafford.

The Foxes currently sit comfortably in the Premier League's Champions League places, eight points clear of fifth place Man Utd and above Chelsea in fourth.

Leicester are keen to establish themselves as a top four side by keeping hold of Chilwell and Maddison
Leicester are keen to establish themselves as a top four side by keeping hold of Chilwell and Maddison / Visionhaus/Getty Images

The club are keen to establish themselves as a regular top-four side, with 90min revealing in April that they were confident of tying down Chilwell, James Maddison, Caglar Soyuncu and Youri Tielemans to new long-term deals in a show of the club's ambition.

Leicester have proven to be stubborn negotiators when it comes to selling their prized assets in recent seasons, with the club holding out for £32m for N'Golo Kanté in 2016, and £60m for Riyad Mahrez two years later before the Maguire deal last summer.

The Foxes will be under little pressure to sell Chilwell, who still has four years remaining on his deal at the King Power.

However, it is not just Chelsea that Brendan Rodgers' side may have to fend off for the 23-year-old. On Friday, 90min revealed that Manchester City are prepared to battle the Blues for Chilwell's signature, seeing the left back as the ideal replacement for Benjamin Mendy.