Chelsea 'step up interest' to sign £35m Liverpool-linked defender

Chelsea are reportedly stepping up their pursuit of Joel Ordonez ahead of the summertime transportation window, arsenic they look to reenforce their antiaircraft options.

The Blues missed a large accidental to ascent the Premier League array and adjacent the spread on Aston Villa and Liverpool successful the contention for Champions League qualification aft a 3-1 decision to Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge.

Following a turbulent run that saw 2 managerial changes, important squad restructuring is expected, with antiaircraft reinforcements precocious connected the agenda.

Ordonez joined Club Brugge in 2022 and has since established himself arsenic a cardinal figure, making 115 appearances and scoring six goals crossed each competitions.

Chelsea oculus determination for Joel Ordonez? 

Chelsea person tracked Ordonez for a sizeable period, with the defender remaining firmly connected their radar.

According to TeamTalk, nine scouts were contiguous successful Brussels to ticker the Ecuadorian during Brugge’s 3-1 triumph over Anderlecht, wherever helium delivered an awesome performance.

The study adds that Chelsea are highly impressed with his improvement successful Belgium, wherever helium has emerged arsenic 1 of the standout defenders successful the league.

The 22-year-old, who has made 42 appearances this play and scored 4 goals, is valued astatine astir €40m (£35m).

Renowned for his physicality, gait and quality to work the game, Ordonez could beryllium to beryllium an fantabulous summation not lone for Chelsea but for immoderate apical Premier League side.

Could Liverpool articulation the contention for Ordonez? 

Liverpool have besides been linked with Ordonez, and it remains to beryllium seen whether they volition marque a factual determination successful the summer.

Jeremy Jacquet is acceptable to arrive, while Ibrahima Konate is expected to motion a caller declaration at Anfield in the coming weeks.

However, the Reds are inactive readying for the semipermanent successor to Virgil van Dijk and could offload Joe Gomez, which would make country for different centre-back addition.