Chelsea want to ‘hijack Real Madrid’s move for David Alaba’ as Tuchel seeks to bolster Blues defence with contract rebel
THOMAS TUCHEL is reportedly ready to make a counter-offer to hijack Real Madrid’s bid for David Alaba.
Bayern Munich are set to wave goodbye to the long-serving Austrian defender when his contract expires in the summer.
Chelsea are one of several teams said to be interested in the 28-year-old, along with Madrid, Liverpool, and Manchester United.
According to The Guardian, the Blues want to make a last-ditch attempt to gazump the LaLiga giants.
New boss Tuchel is reportedly looking to improve his defence despite keeping clean sheets in each of his first three games in charge.
The German has opted for experience so far with Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta returned to the team alongside Thiago Silva.
A versatile defender who started out as a midfielder, Alaba would fit into a number of positions in Tuchel’s 3-4-1-2.
But Spanish media believe a free transfer to Real Madrid is done and dusted.
A four-year deal worth £185,000-a-week has already been agreed, according to Marca.
Inter Milan full-back Achraf Hakimi has been linked to Chelsea amid the Italian club’s financial crisis.
Dayot Upamecano is another reported target with the RB Leipzig star’s £38million release clause activating in the summer.
The Blues downed London rivals Spurs 1-0 at Tottenham Stadium on Thursday night.
Tuchel said afterwards: “In general I am very pleased with the result, it is a deserved win.
“We were very good in the first half, very dominant and strong with the ball, good counter-pressing and we did not allow counter-attacks against one of the most dangerous sides.
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“We lacked a little bit of precision in the box and composure to make it 2-0 and to score more goals and decide the match, so the second half was a bit hard.
“We had some easy ball loses, and we lost a little bit of ball possession and confidence, but we never lost the structure to defend, we never lost the intensity to push up high, and the courage to defend up high and up front, so I am very pleased.
“It is normal if you play a dominant game like this and you don’t score the second goal, it can happen that some minutes arrive when you have to suffer.
“But we were absolutely ready for that both mentally and physical, and I am super happy with the effort. We defended excellently.”
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