Chelsea Pursue £25m Southampton Signing as Contract Negotiations Break Down

Chelsea are reportedly eyeing a summer move for Southampton’s promising centre-back Mohammed Salisu. Sources have informed Football Insider that the Blues are willing to revisit negotiations after a failed attempt to secure the Ghanaian’s services in January.

Salisu, 23, has shown great potential since joining the Saints from Real Valladolid in 2020. His current contract at St Mary’s extends until 2024, meaning any interested parties would need to table a substantial bid to acquire the defender’s signature.

However, Chelsea are said to believe that a fee in the region of £25million could be enough to tempt Southampton into parting ways with the talented centre-back. The Blues are reportedly in the market for a new defender, and Salisu’s physical attributes and impressive reading of the game make him an attractive target for the Stamford Bridge outfit.

It remains to be seen whether Southampton will be willing to let Salisu leave just a year and a half after his arrival on the south coast. Nonetheless, Chelsea’s pursuit of the defender suggests that they are eager to strengthen their backline ahead of the 2023/24 season.