Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is desperate to sign Real Madrid star Federico Valverde this summer, according to an exciting new transfer rumour.
How good is Fede Valverde?
The £181,000-a-week midfielder has grown into arguably one of the best midfielders in the world in recent years, becoming an integral part of a successful Madrid side, winning two La Liga titles and one Champions League crown along the way.
Valverde has stood out as a complete modern player, combining relentless athleticism, technical quality and versatility, allowing him to thrive both in central midfield and a wide role. Last season, he scored seven goals in the league, also chipping in with four assists and averaging 0.9 tackles per game.
While the 24-year-old is surely seen as a vital part of Madrid's future moving forward, there is still huge competition for places in the middle of the park, especially with highly-rated England international Jude Bellingham sealing a big-money move to the Santiago Bernabeu from Borussia Dortmund earlier this summer.
There are also the likes of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni at the club battling for minutes, so it will be hard for Carlo Ancelotti to keep everyone happy.
With Chelsea searching hard for new midfield signings this summer, in order to make up for the loss of K'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, it looks as though Blues could be eyeing up an audacious move for Valverde.
Could Chelsea seal sensational move for Valverde?
According to Defensa Central [via The Chelsea Chronicle], the west Londoners' new boss Pochettino would love to bring the Uruguay international to the club this summer. The Argentine is believed to be "obsessed" with the idea of signing the Madrid superstar, pleading with owner Todd Boehly to complete the transfer.
In truth, it is extremely difficult to see Madrid being willing to part ways with Valverde any time soon, considering he is only 24 years of age and an undoubted key man, having racked up 204 appearances for them to date.
Kroos even described his teammate as one of the "top three in the world right now'' during one spell last season, highlighting just what a special addition he would be to Chelsea's squad, should he suddenly be made available in the summer transfer window.
The thought of the Blues having a new-look midfield of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Valverde is a truly mouthwatering prospect for any Chelsea supporter, and if it happened, the entire team could be transformed after a hugely underwhelming 2022/23 campaign that saw them finish 12th in the Premier League.
Valverde could be about the hit the sweet spot of his career, with so many players peaking around the ages of 25-29, which is why Madrid will almost certainly want to retain his services for the foreseeable future.
It is encouraging to hear Pochettino being so bold about Chelsea's transfer business, though, and if they can't sign the Madrid hero, it is essential that someone of a similar ilk heads to Stamford Bridge during the summer instead.
