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Football London
Football London
Sport
Anita Abayomi

Chelsea must reassess £200m transfer budget amid Matthjis de Ligt and Jules Kounde demand

There have been a number of reports suggesting that where Chelsea find similar players, they will choose one or the other. Although it probably saves the Blues a heap of money, the question is why can't they have both?

Since the end of the last season, Chelsea have been linked with players in all areas of the squad. From goalkeepers right up to the centre-forwards. Having made a total of zero signings so far as we come to the end of June, fans are left in a state of limbo. Social media has been filled with Chelsea followers debating on whether Raheem Sterling would be the better choice than Ousmane Dembele, or if the Blues should give up on Jules Kounde and go all in for Matthijs de Ligt. There's only one form of conflict resolution in each case, though - get them both.

I say this as a Chelsea fan who cares for her club. There is no harm in exploring the maximum possibilities of this transfer window, especially as the squad begins to thin with the expected outgoings. Romelu Lukaku is headed to Inter Milan and Hakim Ziyech could also hop on the plane to Italy. Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen have decided their fate, whilst Cesar Azpilicueta's is still up in the air. Maximum effort is needed if the Blues are to compete on all fronts.

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According to CBS journalist, Ben Jacobs, , Chelsea were set to prioritise a move for Raheem Sterling over Ousmane Dembele. Even though Sterling comes with a costly price, on paper it is understandable as to why he would be preferred. A stellar Premier League record with an elite winners mentality assisted with a lethal eye for goal from the wing - what's there not to want?

Dembele doesn't quite share the same attributes as Sterling but his creativity is second to none when given the game time, although his worrying injury record isn't a pleasing concern to have. The fact is that Dembele would still be an impressive addition to the Chelsea squad. Having formerly played under Thomas Tuchel during his Borussia Dortmund days, the world saw what he was capable of and just how high a ceiling his potential has.

So why not go for both? Not just Sterling or Dembele on one wing - have them playing side by side. A Dembele, Kai Havertz and Sterling front three would be unrivalled in the Premier League. There is potential for many goals between the trio. Besides, with Dembele as a free agent, the Blues will only need to pay for Sterling, which Manchester City are reportedly ready to sanction for a £45m fee.

The attack isn't the only area where Chelsea are spoilt for choice. Defensively, the Blues have an incredible void to fill yet they have been chasing the same defender for an entire year. Rudiger and Christensen had made their intentions to leave Chelsea this summer very clear. Azpilicueta's future is still pending but the Chelsea captain is expected by fans to do what's best for the club, despite wanting to return to Spain.

Jules Kounde has been the peak of Chelsea's interests since negotiations fell through with Sevilla last summer. With a new asking price of £56 million (according to Daily Express) there could be even further delays getting the deal over the line. According to Sport via Tribal Football, Sport says Chelsea are not willing to pay Sevilla's asking price and are only willing to offer €55 million (£48 million) as they did last summer.

Unfortunately, the Blues face the same fate of lengthy negotiations with Juventus' de Ligt, who was seen as an alternative. The Dutch international has a release clause worth over £100m and the Blues have only offered Timo Werner plus £38 million cash to the Italians.

The price between both top defenders would essentially be above £150 million if the Blues are to fold and get both. If Chelsea are to fill a void left by their own past mistakes they would need to find a way to get both. De Ligt can play across the centre-back line, whilst Kounde can take the place of Christensen and Azpilucueta, with Trevoh Chalobah challenging for his spot.

Each signing comes as a necessity, however, it's better to get them in pairs as opposed to individually. Manchester City have levelled up drastically with just two signings of Erling Haaland and Kalvin Phillips. The Blues were still a leap behind the current Premier League leaders last season, so if they are to close the gap, £200 million may not be enough for Todd Boehly's eight targets.

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