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Chelsea enter chase with Real Madrid and Liverpool for £52m-rated centre-back

Originally posted on HITC | By Dom Toner | Last updated Oct 10, 2025 4:40 PM ET

Chelsea have their eye on a highly-rated central defender who could be available for just over £50 million.

There is plenty of discussion around the state of Chelsea’s backline right now, so the timing of these links to a new centre-half is quite telling.

Recent reports have already put AC Milan’s Strahinja Pavlovic on the Blues’ radar, but it looks like there may be another name in the frame now.

Chelsea have many options in the position, including Trevoh Chalobah, Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana. However, Levi Colwill is out of contention for some time due to his ACL injury.

Castello Lukeba draws interest from Chelsea

Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images

CaughtOffside have reported that Chelsea are among the clubs eyeing up Castello Lukeba, who is currently playing for RB Leipzig.

The report notes that Liverpool, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Newcastle United are all keeping tabs on the 22-year-old centre-back.

Lukeba’s release clause at Leipzig is set at €90m (£78m), but there are suggestions that the Bundesliga club could be open to offers closer to €60m (£52m).

Club	Appearances	Goals	Yellow cards	Red cards
RB Leipzig	79	1	12	0
Lyon	68	4	10	1

Castello Lukeba’s senior club career

Should Lukeba make the move to west London, he would join a French core that already features Badiashile, Fofana and Malo Gusto. His profile as a young talent also fits the pattern of signings we have seen from the current ownership.

Castello Lukeba’s past links with Chelsea

Going back to 2022, Lyon turned down a £38m offer from Chelsea for Lukeba, despite eventually selling him to Leipzig a year later.

Jump ahead to 2024, and the defender is back on their radar as the club continue to be linked with top young players across Europe.

The question now is whether there is real substance behind these latest reports. And if there is, does he have what it takes to make an immediate impact in their starting line-up?

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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