Chelsea to compete with Newcastle and Aston Villa for 23-year-old defender
Chelsea have been linked with the move for the Red Bull Salzburg defender Strahinja Pavlović.
The 23-year-old has been quite impressive for the Austrian outfit and his performances have attracted the attention of Aston Villa and Newcastle United as well.
According to HITC, the defender is valued at £25 million and remains to be seen whether the three English clubs are ready to pay up.
The left-sided central defender could prove to be the ideal acquisition for Chelsea as they look to improve their defensive unit. Thiago Silva has recently left the club upon the expiry of his contract and he will need to be replaced adequately.
Silva was an important player for Chelsea and Pavlovic could be his long-term replacement. The 23-year-old Serbian defender has shown his quality in Austria, and he has the physicality and technical attributes to do well in the Premier League as well.
The reported asking price seems quite reasonable for a player of his quality and potential. Chelsea certainly have the financial muscle to get the deal done and it will be interesting to see whether the two clubs can finalise an agreement quickly.
Aston Villa and Newcastle keen on Strahinja Pavlovic
Meanwhile, Aston Villa are looking to bring in defensive reinforcements as well. They will be competing in the UEFA Champions League next season and they were quite vulnerable at the back this past season. Unai Emery wants them to tighten up at the back and he has identified the 23-year-old as a target.
Similarly, Newcastle need to bring in a quality central defender as well. Pavlovic could be the ideal partner for Sven Botman at the heart of their defence. Newcastle will have to improve defensively if they want to return to the Champions League and push for trophies in the coming seasons.
The opportunity to move to the Premier League will be quite exciting for the Serbian defender and he will look to prove himself in English football.
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