Chelsea FC have been quoted a £50m price by Brighton & Hove Albion after they expressed their interest in signing their captain and defender Lewis Dunk.
The Blues are looking for a few reinforcements this month after being unable to strengthen the squad during the summer due to a transfer ban imposed by FIFA.
The club have mostly been linked with left-backs and forward players in the past month but according to The Times via The Sun, the Capital outfit are said to be looking at the purchase of another central defender.
The same publication claims that Dunk has popped up on their radar but they won’t get him on the cheap with Brighton demanding a £50m fee to part ways with their captain, who has been almost ever-present since their return to the top-flight.
Brighton have relied on Dunk and Shane Duffy for the central defensive role in the past few years but last summer’s signing Adam Webster has slotted into the defence ahead of the latter for most of the current season.
On the other hand, they have another emerging centre-back in Ben White, who has excelled at Leeds United on loan and they certainly have options at hand, should Dunk head through the exit door.
Still, they won’t be able to recall White at the current phase of the season and it would come as a huge surprise, if Dunk is sold at the given price without a replacement pursued.
Meanwhile, the Blues have four centre-backs in Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, Fikayo Tomori and Kurt Zouma this term but Lampard seems keen on adding another recruit with experience.
The west London giants have stayed in the top four for most of the current campaign but they have still been inconsistent with their displays since mid-November and have not managed back-to-back league wins.
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