Leicester City set mammoth Fofana price tag as Chelsea intensify efforts to complete record-breaking deal: Reports

Leicester City are willing to negotiate a potential transfer of their highly-rated defender Wesley Fofana with fellow English club Chelsea. However, the Foxes look determined to rob Blues' new owner Todd Boehly's pocket and have set a mammoth asking price to begin a conversation.

French outlet Foot Mercato reported that if the west London club want to sign Fofana, then they will have to fork out a whopping €95 million. This amount will break the world-record sum of €87 million for a defender that Manchester United paid for their centre-back Harry Maguire in 2019.

Chelsea are big admirers of the Frenchman and have made him a priority target after their deal for Sevilla's Jules Kounde was hijacked by Barcelona last month. The Blues have already had two bids rejected by Leicester for the 21-year-old defender, the last of which was worth nearly €83 million.

This third bid, which will set a new world-record, is more to the Foxes' liking and they have told Fofana that he will be allowed to leave the club. The player is well aware of Chelsea's interest in him and is eager to leave the King Power for Stamford Bridge.

Foot Mercato reported that personal terms won't prove to be a hurdle as the player has spoken with the club and there is an agreement on that front. Fofana signed for Leicester from Ligue 1 club Saint Etienne for a price tag of €35 million.

He arrived with a burgeoning reputation and passed with flying colors in his debut campaign in the Premier League.

Last season, he suffered a Fibula fracture which ruled him out for the better part of the 2021-22 campaign. He made a return from his long-term injury in April earlier this year and played 12 games for the remainder of the campaign.

Leicester are going to do another wonderful piece of business by selling Fofana to Chelsea, as they have done in the previous few years.

It is quite remarkable that a player who has only played for them in one complete season is going to make them more than €90 million. The Blues will hope that the Frenchman's career trajectory does not take a turn like Maguire's, after the England international left Leicester for Manchester United.

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Chelsea without two first-team starters for their clash against Tottenham Hotspur

While addressing the media in the build-up to his team's clash against Spurs on Sunday, August 14, Thomas Tuchel revealed that two of his players will miss the clash.

Football.london reported that Mateo Kovacic, who was an unused substitute against Everton in their Premier League opener, has picked up a knee injury and is therefore sidelined.

Meanwhile, Marcos Alonso is trying to finalize his move to Barcelona and is out of contention from the squad due to the same for Sunday's game.