The Blues are preparing for life without some of their most important defenders next season. With Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, and Cesar Azpilicueta all edging closer to an exit, the reigning European champions are eyeing replacements.
The Blues, preparing for life without Christensen, Rudiger, and Azpilicueta, have sent scouts to watch Wolverhampton centre-back Max Kilman in action recently reports talkSPORT. It is reported that the club’s personnel was in the building to watch Kilman attempt to contain Patson Daka and co when Wolves took on Leicester City in the league over the previous weekend.
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24-year-old Kilman is currently valued at a measly nine million euros but has a contract at Molineux until 2026. Furthermore, his value could receive a significant bump in the coming weeks, with talks of the defender receiving his first England international call-up growing rapidly.
He has played internationally for England before, albeit in futsal; the Wolves star has 25 caps for the England futsal team between 2015 and 2018.
A boyhood Chelsea fan, Kilman was the subject of international interest from the Ukraine national team, for which he qualified through his parents. However, FIFA denied Ukraine’s request to be permitted to call Kilman up due to his past representations for England in futsal.
Originally left-footed, Kilman can play on either side of the defense, and has done so exclusively in a three-man backline throughout his Wolves career.
His versatility could provide Chelsea with much-needed cover in defence next season, given the Blues are expected to lose both Christensen and Rudiger for free as things stand. Azpilicueta, often deployed as the right-sided centre-back, the position Kilman plays for Wolves, is also said to be on his way out.
Kilman is not the only centre-back the Blues are monitoring. As per the Daily Mail, Chelsea are also keen on Brighton’s 27-year-old defender Adam Webster. Meanwhile, the club retains its interest in Sevilla’s Jules Kounde, whom they came close to signing in the previous summer.