Ben Chilwell has been linked to a possible move to Chelsea F.C. but Leicester City is firm on its stand of keeping the 23-year-old player. But the recent loss to Manchester United by the Foxes that dashed their Champions League hopes may factor in. Chilwell is reportedly planning to tell Leicester management that he wants to leave and head to Stamford Bridge.
According to an exclusive from The Mirror, Chilwell plans to talk to Leicester management this week and tell them that he wants to quit. It appears the 23-year-old player sees a brighter future playing for the Blues. This is even though Chilwell has been at Leicester since he was 12. He is also under contract until 2024.
It is no secret that Frank Lampard has his eyes on Chilwell. Considering that the Blues now have a left-back spot, the English player would be a perfect player to fill the void.
However, departing King Power Stadium will not be easy. The Foxes manager, Brendan Rodgers, remains firm on his stance that Chilwell is not for sale. He wants Chilwell to stay and this could be a new fight that Leicester City will have to deal with moving forward.
"You can spin it whichever way you want. There is no intention to sell Ben Chilwell and there is absolutely no need for us to sell Ben Chilwell. If you want a message, the message is he's not for sale," Rodgers said.
Chilwell is one of two players that the Blues are targeting, the other of which is Kai Havertz. The Blues already have Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech in the fold. Lampard continues to reel in key players as he continues his overhaul of the club for next season.
If Chilwell's plans to seek his release does happen this week, it could entice Chelsea to ramp up its pursuit for the English football player. The Blues would need to fork out roughly $98 million to get Chilwell from Leicester City. It remains unknown if those numbers will change.
Though he prefers to keep Chilwell, Rodgers may eventually consider that it would make no sense to keep a player whose heart is set somewhere else. If that is the case, expect The Foxes to make it hard for the Blues to make sure they get the proper return for the 23-year-old left-back. But as things stand now, the Blues and the Foxes are in for a battle to figure out where Chilwell will play this 2020-21 season.
