Chelsea target Cedric Soares spotted in London as Southampton star is linked with big-money move
Blues have offered £15million for Saints right-back Soares and Portugal ace fuels speculation of making switch by being pictured in the capital
CHELSEA target Cedric Soares has been spotted in London as speculation of a £15million move from Southampton continues to grow.
The Blues are understood to have already lodged a bid for the right-back as boss Antonio Conte desperately tries to bolster his squad at Stamford Bridge.
Saints are not keen on selling the Portugal international as they try to fight off interest in three of their key defenders before the transfer window closes.
But the 25-year-old is believed to be keen to make the switch to the Premier League champions if a deal can be done.
And Soares has done little to quash the transfer talk by making a trip to west London where he proudly posed for a picture to share on social media.
Soares was pictured in Brown Hart Gardens, Mayfair, just off Oxford Street.
He also posted a snap of himself in a hotel room where he made a point of saying how good London life is.
Saints are preparing themselves for the final week of the transfer window in the knowledge three senior defenders are being tracked by top clubs.
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Chelsea have an interest in all three - Soares, Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Bertrand - as Conte looks to make the signings he demanded of the club at the start of the summer.
As yet they have only made a bid for Soares, but they could well come back with offers for Van Dijk or Bertrand before the end of the month.
Dutch centre-back Van Dijk is currently training with the under-18s at Southampton having fallen out with the club over his desire to leave this summer.
He had been set on a move Liverpool but that fell through when Saints lodged a complaint with the Premier League over an illegal approach for the player.
Chelsea have long held an interest but have held back from making a bid because of the £60m valuation of the defender.
Saints have insisted the player is not for sale but Van Dijk has fallen out with the club because he is desperate to play Champions League football.
The situation cannot go on much longer with Van Dijk currently excluded from all first team activity, so Chelsea may make their move before the window closes.
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Conte is also actively seeking a left-sided player to provide competition for Marcos Alonso, with Juventus star Alex Sandro and Tottenham's Danny Rose players he has looked at.
But he is also impressed by the progress Bertrand has made since leaving Chelsea for Southampton, and may yet turn to the England star if he thinks a deal can be done.
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