Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso is midway through his first full week in charge of the club.
The former Real Madrid man was appointed as the west London outfit’s new manager earlier this summer, following the sacking of head coach Liam Rosenior after a disastrous run of results towards the latter part of last term.
Alonso’s finest moment of his managerial career so far came in 2023 when he guided Bayer Leverkusen to a first ever Bundesliga title, having taken charge of the club less than two years prior when they occupied 17th space in the German top flight table.
The ex-Liverpool man will likely want to make changes to his squad before Chelsea’s first Premier League match of the new season, against Fulham in August.
It appears, though, that the Blues will demand a huge fee for one of their current defenders.
As per CaughtOffside, Chelsea are set to demand a fee of around £75 million for in-demand full-back Malo Gusto.
The report claims that Manchester City – now managed by former Chelsea boss Maresca – have emerged as potential suitors for the Frenchman, who is currently on international duty with Les Bleus at the World Cup in North America.
Gusto is valued by Chelsea at around £75 million Photo: Sportimage Ltd/Alamy)
Gusto, 23, joined Chelsea from French side Lyon back in 2023, having impressed for the club.
He has since made more than 130 appearances for the west London outfit across all competitions, scoring three goals and registering 17 assists.
The report claims that City boss Maresca is keen on the idea of a reunion with Gusto, who featured regularly during his time at Stamford Bridge.
City have weighed up an offer in the region of £38 million, the report says, but it isn’t yet clear whether or not they would meet Chelsea’s demands.
Gusto’s current contract with the Blues isn’t set to expire until the summer of 2030, which puts the London outfit in a relatively commanding position.