Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has identified Ricardo Pereira as the ideal candidate for the right back position. Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta has been used as a makeshift left back leaving the right back position open. Frank Lampard is said to be a big fan of the Portuguese international.
Ricardo is a key player in Brendan Rodgers impressive side, they are third on the table and they are expected to go all out for European place finish at the end of the season.
There were offers for Leicester City stars during the winter transfer window, but Brendan Rodgers stayed true to his pledge that none of his stars will leave the king power stadium in January.
James Maddison, Ben Chilwell and Ricardo Pereira were continually linked with an exit. Manchester United were interested in Madison and Ben Chilwell while Chelsea were rumored to have submitted an offer for Pereira. Aside Chelsea, Manchester City were also credited with an interest.
Pereira, 23, who joined Leicester city in the summer of 2018 from Porto in a £21 million deal has featured in all the Foxes matches this season when fit.
Portuguese international Pereira was voted the Foxes’ Player of the Season last year in his first season in English football. And Rodgers has explained how Leicester will stick to their transfer philosophy in order to try and catch up to Liverpool and City.
Since the departure of Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea have failed to adequately replace the Serbian. Moses was used as a wing back during Antonio Conte’s title winning side, but he’s not a natural full back and did not fit it well with Mauricio Sarri’sSarri ball. While Zapacosta has since returned to Italy.
The Blues’ coach will hope the deal to bring Pereira down to Stamford Bridge will be done as early as possible in the summer before Euro 2020, where a good outing by the player for Portugal might start a tense bidding war.
