Chelsea working on deal for £9m full-back who's "one of the best" in Europe

Chelsea are now working on a deal to sign “one of the best” full-backs in Europe, having scouted him closely in recent weeks, according to a report.

Blues in huge battle for the Champions League

As we head into the international break, the Blues find themselves in a real tussle for the Champions League places, having suffered a 1-0 loss against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.

There are a number of teams in contention, with Enzo Maresca’s side only five points clear of 10th-placed AFC Bournemouth, despite being talked about as title contenders earlier in the campaign.

The downward turn in form suggests Maresca may need to bolster his squad with some new additions this summer, and a report from The Boot Room has revealed the manager could turn his attentions to a player from one of the Premier League’s overachievers.

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A deal would be “easy to get done”.

According to a report, Chelsea are now working on a deal to sign Nottingham Forest right-back Ola Aina, who has been a key player for the Tricky Trees in their unexpected Champions League push this season.

Aina is a former Blue, but he never managed to establish himself as a first-team regular and was sold to Torino for around £9m back in 2019.

However, having been impressed with the right-back’s performances for Forest during recent scouting missions, the Blues could now be set to pursue a move this summer, although his current employers will not make it easy.

Nuno’s side are trying to tie the full-back down to a new long-term deal, while they are also planning to activate the 12-month extension option in his current contract.

Aina now among the “best” full-backs in Europe

The Nigerian has managed to develop his game considerably since leaving Chelsea, spending time at Torino and Fulham before making the move to Nottingham Forest, where he has emerged as a key player this season.

The 28-year-old has made 29 appearances in the Premier League, playing a fundamental role in the defence of a side pushing for the Champions League, and he has received high praise from journalist Zach Lowy.

The Athletic writer Paul Taylor has described the Cobham academy graduate as a “screamer-scoring” full-back, in light of a spectacular goal he scored earlier this season against West Ham, while also claiming he has established himself among the elite.

Signing Aina would go against Chelsea’s policy of recruiting young players, given that he is now 28, but his performances for Forest this season indicate it could be worth the Blues changing their transfer strategy in this instance.