According to reports from The Express this morning, Chelsea are hoping to leapfrog long-term admirers Manchester United in the race to sign Mats Hummels with a £37million bid for the Borussia Dortmund defender this summer.
Having claimed two Bundesliga titles and reached a Champions League final with the Black-Yellows, whilst lifting the 2014 World Cup with Germany last summer, Hummels is widely regarded as one of the top centre-backs in world football.
The Red Devils have been targeting him for some time without ever being able to manufacture a move and as This Is Futbol reported earlier this week, are expected to try again in the coming transfer window.
Dortmund won’t qualify for the Champions League this term after spending much of the season flirting with relegation from the German top flight, and Hummels has resultantly admitted he’s considering his future at Westfalen, as reported by Sky Sports.
United are widely considered to be the favourites for his signature but the allure of Chelsea, especially if they win this season’s Premier League title, could be too great for the German international to ignore.
According to The Express, they’re willing to fork out £37million for Hummels – a potential long-term successor to John Terry, who is slowly veering towards retirement.