Chelsea make contact to sign 22-year-old superstar who has £107 million release clause - Reports 

Chelsea have reportedly made this first move for Liverpool target Matthijs de Ligt. The Juventus defender is said to be one of the players on Thomas Tuchel's radar this summer.

As per a report in Sky Italia, the Dutch defender is one of the players Jurgen Klopp is dreaming of signing at Anfield. However, Chelsea have taken the lead in the race and are now in talks with the Juventus star.

The report adds that the former Ajax star has a £107 million release clause in his contract at the Allianz Stadium. The Blues are unwilling to activate it and are looking to agree a swap deal involving Timo Werner or Christian Pulisic with the Serie A side.

Chelsea are keen on signing defenders this summer as Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen are set to leave the club following the expiry of their contracts.

The German has joined Real Madrid, while the Danish star is yet to be officially unveiled by Barcelona, with whom he reportedly signed a pre-contract.

Thomas Tuchel eyeing Chelsea rebuild as defensive core depart

Thomas Tuchel has admitted this season is about rebuilding the squad at Chelsea as two of his center-backs have left the club. Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso have also been linked with exits with Barcelona keen.

Speaking to the media earlier this year, the Chelsea manager said:

"We are the first to admit it is not the same to play a final as it is to win a final. We are the first ones to admit that we are here to win trophies, we compete on this kind of level not just to compete but to win. [But we] gave everything [and] everybody lived to their fullest. We did this."

Tuchel added:

"There's always room for improvement, we are the first to admit it. [...] Hopefully, we manage to become third, and there is a progression in it. We have constantly been in the top three in the toughest league, we now compete with maybe the best teams to ever play in this league. From there we go."

He continued:

"Put it into perspective, there is no need to lose sleep after this season, but there's a lot of ambition in us that is not satisfied. From there we go. I think it's good to admit it. Not be too worried about it that we don't do this. It is at some level okay, maybe some level very good, but there is always room for improvement. We will not relax and give in too early."

Chelsea are yet to sign a player for the first team this summer. The latest rumors from The Athletic suggest Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo could be one of the players offered to the club.