Chelsea could line up moves for defensive duo Sven Botman and Maxence Lacroix should Thomas Tuchel fail in his pursuit for Jules Kounde.
Tuchel had Kounde on top of his shopping list for the summer only for the defender’s side Sevilla to play hardball on pricing demands in the final stages of the transfer window which put the deal off.
Ahead of the January window, despite speculation gaining ground that Chelsea are keen to launch a bid for their longstanding target, the West Londoners reportedly have a backup plan in place with the likes of Sven Botman and Maxence Lacroix eyed up.
According to reports from ESPN, it is claimed that both central defenders are being watched closely by the Chelsea camp who fear losing out on established defensive talents in Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen come next summer.
Neither first-team regular has agreed to renew terms in the English capital and with their current deals due to expire at the end of the season, Thomas Tuchel will be tasked with looking for replacements to shore up his roster.
