It’s well documented that Antonio Conte wants to add a quality centre-back to his squad this summer, but he will need to offload someone in order to make room.
Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk and Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci are Chelsea’s preferred centre-back targets at the Blues are ready to sell Nathan Ake in order to make signing a new centre-back a reality, Goal understand.
Ake impressed in the first half of last season on loan at Bournemouth, prompting Conte to recall the defender in January to aid in their Premier League title push.
The Dutch defender is still considered a squad player at Stamford Bridge with Conte already settled on his starting three centre-backs and he is tipped to leave the club this summer.
Bournemouth want to re-sign him on a permanent basis, while West Ham have also been linked with the centre-back.
While Chelsea aren’t particularly close to agreeing a deal for either Van Dijk or Bonucci according to Goal, Ake is still expected to leave the club at some point this summer to make room in the squad for their potential arrival.
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