Chelsea prepared to pay world record fee for defender to sign Barcelona’s Samuel Umtiti

He's one of the most highly rated defenders in the world.

Last season, Chelsea underwent a drastic transformation. The shift from a back four to a three-man defence with wing-backs brought about by Antonio Conte played a huge part in turning them back into champions after a disappointing 2015/16 campaign, when they finished 10th. However, their defensive brick wall has begun to fall apart. They conceded four goals to Watford last Monday and have looked a shadow of the team that won the league last season this time around. It's therefore unsurprising to see the club linked with Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti. According to Spanish newspaper Don Balon, Chelsea are willing to trigger Umtiti's €60m release clause and triple his wage. The Frenchman currently earns €3m a year, equating to £57k a week. Chelsea would reportedly offer him €9m a year. Umtiti could play on the left side of a back three, or as one of two central defenders back four should Chelsea ditch Conte's system when he eventually leaves, which seems an inevitability. Chelsea are not the only club interested; Don Balon have also reported that Manchester United are Paris-Saint Germain are interested in signing one of the most sought-after defenders in football right now. Paying Umtiti's release clause of £53m as well as offering him £7.98m per year on a five-year contract would take the total cost of the transfer to around £93m. There's no disputing that it's a lot of money, but in a constantly inflating market, it could be a wise investment, given Umtiti's quality and tender age of 24.