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Chelsea 'close to agreeing £50million deal for Leicester full-back Ben Chilwell'

  /  autty

Chelsea are close to finalising a deal of up to £50million for Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell, according to reports.

The 23-year-old has been strongly linked with a move away from the King Power Stadium this summer, with the west Londoners and Manchester City keen on the defender.

As Sportsmail revealed last week, Frank Lampard's side were the favourites to land Chilwell and the Blues were increasingly confident on bringing the left-back to Stamford Bridge this summer.

And according to The Athletic, Chilwell has already had medical checks in London and a deal between £45million and £50million is close to being approved by Leicester.

However, the left-back may be forced to wait for his Chelsea debut if the deal gets done, as is he is currently struggling with a heel injury.

The England international picked up the blow after the Foxes' win over Crystal Palace at the start of July and is set to be out for three weeks.

Lampard has been keen to bring in a left-back after several inconsistent performances from current options Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri.

Chiwell will join attacking signings Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner at Stamford Bridge next season, taking Chelsea's 2020 spending so far to over £110million.

The Blues are also interested in Bayern Leverkusen attacker Kai Havertz, who has been valued by the Bundesliga club at around £90million.

Lampard, supported by Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia, is looking to improve on a fourth-placed finish that he achieved last season in his debut top-flight season in management.

Chilwell came through the youth ranks at the King Power Stadium before breaking into the first-team in 2015. He is one league appearance away from making 100 top-flight appearances for Leicester.

The full-back has also been capped 11 times by Gareth Southgate at international level and is expected to be a key player in England's European Championships squad next summer.

Lampard has until October 5 to seal all his Chelsea incomings and outgoings before the transfer window shuts, with the Blues' new Premier League season beginning on September 14 against Brighton and Hove Albion.