Chelsea are close to agreeing a deal to sign Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, with the player preferring a move to Stamford Bridge over Marseille.
Both clubs are discussing a fee between €20million (£16.8m; $21.7m) and €25m for the Denmark Under-21 international, who has a €45m release clause at Villarreal.
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The goalkeeper has also had interest from Marseille, with the Ligue 1 club the 22-year-old’s second preference for a summer transfer.
Jorgensen has made 44 first-team appearances for Villarreal and established himself as the club’s No 1 goalkeeper last season as they finished eighth in La Liga.
The Athletic reported that Chelsea had established Jorgensen as their primary goalkeeper target this summer, despite the shot-stopper only signing a new five-year contract with Villarreal last month.
Djordje Petrovic is emerging as a surprise candidate to be sold only a year after his arrival from MLS club New England Revolution. The Serbia international made 31 first-team appearances for Chelsea last season.
Robert Sanchez, Marcus Bettinelli and Lucas Bergstrom are other goalkeepers in Enzo Maresca’s first team squad, while Kepa Arrizabalaga has returned to the club following a season-long loan spell at Real Madrid.
Jorgensen was capped several times for Sweden at youth level up to their Under-17 team before he switched allegiance to Denmark, for whom he has been capped at under-21 level.
(David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
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