Borussia Dortmund target Chelsea outcast after failing to sign £12m teammate
Borussia Dortmund are considering a move for Chelsea outcast Ben Chilwell after failing in their pursuit of Renato Veiga, according to reports.
Dortmund were locked in negotiations with Chelsea about a potential deal to sign Veiga on loan despite the versatile defender only arriving at Stamford Bridge last summer.
However, the Portuguese international has now snubbed interest from the German club and looks set to join Juventus on loan until the end of the season.
Dortmund, though, are still in the market for a left-back this window and, according to the Sun, may now consider a move for Chilwell.
Chilwell has been deemed surplus to requirements by Enzo Maresca since the Italian’s arrival at Chelsea in the summer.
The 28-year-old has played just 45 minutes of first-team football this season when he appeared as a second-half substitute in a 5-0 Carabao Cup win over Barrow back in September.
However, a potential exit this month has proved difficult, in large part due to the Englishman’s reported unwillingness to take a pay cut to force through a deal.
Chilwell’s £190,000-per-week wages may prove a stumbling in any deal with Dortmund, but Chelsea could well pay part of his wages to help encourage an exit as they did with Raheem Sterling in the summer.
The report adds that the left-back would prefer to stay in the Premier League, with Everton a club credited with interest.
Should a move for Chilwell fail to materialise, The Telegraph suggests that Dortmund could also explore a deal for Oleksandr Zinchenko who is expected to leave Arsenal this month.
Speaking earlier in the month, Maresca admitted that he felt ‘shame’ about the situation that Chilwell finds himself in at Chelsea.
‘Ben has been top. I have to say that, he has been top,’ Maresca said.
‘Very professional, works hard. I feel shame because of that situation but in terms of behaviour, he has been very good.’
Asked why he has not changed his stance on Chilwell, Maresca added: ‘First of all because it’s my choice. I can see Malo Gusto or Reece James or Marc Cucurella doing a different kind of job in the game.
‘I think Chilwell is a top full-back doing that job up and down and in the past he has won titles and won international caps. But I struggle to see Ben doing different kind of things.’
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