Transfer Rumors: Chelsea Sets Sights On Another Young Player, Report Says

Chelsea FC may be drawing heavy criticism, but that will not stop Blues manager Frank Lampard from targeting young players for the club’s future. And the latest target that the club has on its radar is Dayot Upamecano.

The Blues will crowd other clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Bayern Munich for the services of the French player, Daily Mail's David Kent reported. International Business Times could not independently verify this information.

To do so, Chelsea would have to set aside big money once more, roughly €42 million ($51 million), to succeed, ESPN reported. This is the release clause in the new deal the 22-year-old signed with RB Leipzig last year, the report said.

Lampard is expanding the club's options, with several players potentially moving out. Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma are holding up the defense for now, but players like Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Fikayo Tomori could be out by the summer. All are looking for long-term deals, and the Blues may not be able to keep some or all of them.

Assuming that the Blues do become successful, the next question is whether Lampard will still be around when it happens. The 42-year-old coach has been under fire, with most feeling that Chelsea has been underperforming.

Lampard previously admitted that he needs to act fast and is aware that Blues management wants results. He explained that even with a young and promising lineup, results may take time.

Chelsea had acquired a lot of big names in 2020, namely Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz. But with 11 players holding just one year of experience or less in the Premier League, it may take time before these investments show what the Blues are truly capable of.

"We have a young squad and new players coming in, so when people want to talk about us having the strongest squad, one month ago, the reality is that we had a squad of players, some of them new, and they have not performed at levels in previous years to win you titles. That was my feeling," Lampard stated.

As for Upamecano, the good news is that he will have options. Several teams covet the French defender, and it won’t be surprising if more clubs enter the fray. For now, he will focus on RB Leipzig and worry about his future in the summer.