Centre back update - Tuchel would love Marquinhos, but Varane tops the collective wish list

Chelsea are still prioritising a move for a new centre back this summer

I am told that Chelsea will look to invest in at least two major positions this summer, a new striker, and a new centre back.

We have heard the big name strikers that they are discussing, mainly Romelu Lukaku and Erling Haaland. But I’d expect other names to come up as time goes on, with alternatives now being heavily scouted.

However, for the sake of this article, I have some updates on centre backs.

Last week I told you that Thomas Tuchel had put the name Marquinhos from PSG forward as a potential centre back pursuit. Tuchel LOVES him, and so do the board.

However, any deal for him looks very tough, and it is transpiring that a deal for Raphael Varane from Real Madrid could be more realistic, with the player considering leaving the club this summer.

He has just one year left on his deal this summer, and it doesn’t look like he will sign a new contract there. This obviously would make him a much cheaper option, and has alerted a number of top clubs including Liverpool and Manchester United.

Chelsea too, and we know he is a player that the board would love to bring in, and they have been discussing him with Tuchel as well as Marquinhos.

The German boss would obviously be more than happy with a player like Varane coming in, so it was a positive reaction and he would become a collective target.

Long way to go of course, but Varane is now probably at the top of Chelsea’s centre back priorities for the summer.