da bet7k: According to reports in the Daily Mail, Chelsea are set to lose out to Manchester City in the race to sign Real Madrid right-back Danilo.
da pixbet: The Daily Mail says that City have agreed a £26m deal with the La Liga giants for the 26-year-old, which could rise to £30m with add-ons, and he is expected to now discuss terms with Pep Guardiola’s men.
The news will come as a blow for Blues boss Antonio Conte, who has been looking to provide more competition for both Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso in the wing-back positions, with Danilo able to play on both flanks.
Conte will now have to turn his attentions elsewhere in a bid to provide more depth to his squad as the Premier League holders return to the group stages of the Champions League, and there are a number of alternatives he could already be looking at.
Here are three right-backs Chelsea could target if they miss out on Danilo…
Cedric Soares
If Chelsea are looking for a right-back that has all of the attributes to play right wing-back and with Premier League experience, then they should be taking a closer look at Southampton’s Cedric.
The Portuguese full-back has the stamina to get up and down the pitch and has often given Saints an added attacking dimension with his forward runs.
As well as creating 40 chances in 30 top flight appearances last term, the 25-year-old also showcased his defensive abilities by making 97 clearances and successfully winning 62 tackles.
The fact that he has won the European Championships with Portugal in 2016 is another bonus as he has proven that he can perform at the highest level and under pressure, but the south coast outfit are unlikely to sell him on the cheap.
Serge Aurier
The right-back first made his name on a global stage when he starred for the Ivory Coast at the 2014 World Cup, but he has struggled to make an impact since joining Paris Saint-Germain on a permanent deal from Toulouse in 2015.
His time with the Ligue 1 giants has also been tainted by controversy after he was suspended in February 2016 for slating Angel Di Maria and Laurent Blanc, while he was banned from entering the UK for a Champions League match against Arsenal last November because of an assault conviction.
The 24-year-old looks set to leave PSG this summer and he has all of the attributes to be a success at right-back or right wing-back for Chelsea.
Aurier, who like Danilo can also play on the left-hand side if needed, provided five assists in 32 appearances in all competitions last season.
Mario Fernandes
The Brazilian-born Russian right-back has been a consistent performer for CSKA Moscow over the course of the last five seasons, and despite only recently signing a new deal it would certainly be no surprise if he started to attract admiring glances from some of the bigger European teams like Chelsea.
The 26-year-old is relatively tall for a full-back – he stands at nearly 6’2” tall – while he loves to get forward and provided six assists in 36 appearances in all competitions last term.
The fact that he is also able to play on the right of midfield makes him the perfect candidate for the wing-back position, and he also has Champions League experience having featured in the competition for the Russian outfit.
Fernandes is also strong defensively though, and he loves a tackle while his height means he wins a lot of aerial duels in the backline if required.
Do you agree, Chelsea fans? Let us know below.