Chelsea are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen duo Victor Boniface and Edmond Tapsoba, according to Christian Falk.
Leverkusen are flying under Xabi Alonso – who is attracting interest from Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
They are currently eight points clear on top of the Bundesliga and are yet to taste defeat in any competition this term, topping their Europa League group with a maximum of 18 points.
Having played Bayern Munich home and away in 2023/24, there is a very good chance Alonso’s side go the entire Bundesliga season unbeaten.
Borussia Dortmund away on April 20 looks like being the most possible defeat between now and the end of the campaign.
Anyway, we digress. Leverkusen are going to be fielding a lot of calls this summer, for both their players and Alonso.
Mailbox: Why Liverpool, not Bayern Munich, is the right job for Xabi Alonso…
Near enough their entire starting XI have been linked with transfers in recent months, with the Premier League’s elite sniffing around.
According to German transfer expert Falk, Chelsea are looking at central defender Tapsoba and striker Boniface.
The latter has been absent since suffering an adductor injury in December, missing the African Cup of Nations with Nigeria as a result.
Boniface is not expected to return until April, which is a big blow considering he has 16 goals in 23 appearances this term.
Tapsoba, meanwhile, has been a regular starter under Alonso in 2023/24 but has only started one of Leverkusen’s three Bundesliga games since returning from AFCON duty with Burkina Faso.
Falk says Chelsea’s desperate need for a striker could see Mauricio Pochettino turn to Boniface, despite links to his Nigeria team-mate, Victor Osimhen.
It is claimed that the Blues are ‘tempted’ by the 23-year-old, who is valued at €40million (£34million).
Tapsoba is worth the same amount, according to Falk, and Chelsea also have the centre-back on their ‘list’.
It is added that Tottenham, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are among those looking at Tapsoba.
Spanish website Nacional adds that there is interest in Boniface and Tapsoba coming from Chelsea’s Premier League rivals, United.
The Red Devils are also keen on Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong and Exequiel Palacios, with all four expected to cost around £180m.
Read more: Chelsea ‘FFP mess’ ruling them out of European football is Todd Boehly’s worst mistake
