Chelsea are set to complete the signing of Atalanta defender Marco Palestra for a fee in excess of £43 million, the club's second summer defensive acquisition. Palestra is capable of playing on both flanks as manager Xabi Alonso executes a defensive overhaul.
The Blues have also targeted Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix, the 26-year-old France international currently on World Cup duty. Palace are braced for an official offer, though Lacroix's willingness to negotiate remains unclear.
Chelsea sold Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid for £51.8 million this summer and have already invested £52 million in Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke. Defensive reinforcements could shift betting odds on Tottenham's Premier League title prospects relative to Chelsea's immediate rebuilding phase.