Chelsea are preparing to make an improved bid of £70m for Wesley Fofana, after seeing an opening offer for the Leicester defender rejected.
Thomas Tuchel’s side are set to return with a new test of Leicester’s resolve to keep the centre-back, who the Foxes are understood to value at a world-record fee in excess of the £80m that took Harry Maguire from Leicester to Manchester United.
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The Times are reporting that Fofana has been informed by the Foxes that he is not for sale this summer, though a record-breaking bid could tempt Leicester into a sale.
Brendan Rodgers’ side have failed to make a signing so far this summer and a huge fee would provide funds to strengthen the squad in the closing stages of the window.
Fofana made just seven league appearances last season after suffering a broken leg during a pre-season friendly with Villarreal last summer. However, he was named as the Foxes’ Young Player of the Season after an impressive debut campaign in 2020/21.
Leicester signed the 21-year-old in a deal worth up to £36.5m from Saint-Etienne, who are entitled to 20% of the profits on any sale. Chelsea’s had hoped to include Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a makeweight in the deal, though the midfielder has rejected that proposal.
Chelsea have turned to Fofana following a number of failed pursuits as the west Londoners look to replace the departed Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger. Kalidou Koulibaly has arrived from Napoli in a £33m deal, but moves for Matthijs de Ligt, Jules Kounde and Nathan Ake have all proven frustrating.
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