Chelsea are among the sides scouting a potential superstar who is also on the radar of Real Madrid, as they look to continue their squad overhaul under Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea flying high in Premier League
A record-breaking four first-half goals from Cole Palmer ensured that Chelsea came from a goal down to comfortably beat Brighton 4-2 in their most recent Premier League encounter, moving up to fourth place in the process.
Unbeaten in their five games since an opening-day defeat to Manchester City, the Blues have scored 15 goals in that time, more than any other Premier League side.
After the game, Blues boss Enzo Maresca revealed that he had been caught out early on by Brighton’s setup, but that his side quickly adapted.
“Off the ball, we struggled in the first half because they surprised us. They changed something. On the ball, the game was exactly the way we planned in the first half and second half. Then at half-time, we adjusted a little bit the way we were pressing.”
“In the second half, we didn’t concede nothing in terms of chances. In the first half, we conceded two goals and then some moments. The reason why was because they surprised us a little bit with the way they played on the ball.”
With the youngest squad in the division and Cole Palmer stating his case as the best player in the Premier League, Chelsea are only likely to improve as the season goes on, which could set them up as a contender for a spot in the Champions League.
They won’t rest on their laurels in the transfer market, though, and are already seeking improvement – with one man in their sights.
Chelsea scouting in-demand defender
That comes as transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Blues are scouting RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba as a potential defensive addition, with the defender also on the radar of Real Madrid.
Still just 21 years old, the Frenchman has impressed during his time across spells at Leipzig and RB Salzburg, earning high praise in the process.
Speaking on X, football analyst Ben Mattinson described him as a “really unique” defender.
“A very unique profile and one of the best defensive prospects in world football,” he told his followers, adding that “there should be a long queue of teams looking to sign Castello Lukeba.”
And it seems that Chelsea are a part of that queue, while Real Madrid and Aston Villa have also both been linked.
|
Stat |
Levi Colwill |
Castello Lukeba |
|
Appearances |
23 |
32 |
|
Tackles and interceptions per 90 |
3.70 |
1.28 |
|
Pass accuracy |
83% |
91.6% |
|
Aerial duels won |
68.3% |
54.2% |
|
Fouls per 90 |
1.25 |
0.33 |
Speaking on his YouTube channel ahead of the weekend, Romano confirmed that Chelsea were scouting the defender, but there is currently nothing more advanced with regards to a deal – which would be more likely to happen in summer 2025, when Leipzig may be easier to negotiate with.
A left-footed centre-back, he is valued at around £60m, which would certainly be a hefty fee to shell out when Levi Colwill is already at the club and appears to fulfil the same role.
However, with Chelsea keen to sign world-class young talent across the squad and Colwill and Lukeba able to play at centre-back and left-back, it may be a deal worth pursuing.