Crystal Palace have expressed an interest to sign Ben Chilwell on loan from Chelsea for the rest of the season.
Chelsea have made Chilwell available for transfer or a loan since last summer. He is not part of Enzo Maresca’s plans and has played just 45 minutes this season, which was against Barrow in the Carabao Cup five months ago.
Crystal Palace want to strengthen at the back especially after Trevoh Chalobah was recalled by Chelsea from his season-long loan early and following the news Chadi Riad has suffered a serious knee injury. Manager Oliver Glasner also wants cover for Tyrick Mitchell at left full-back.
Chilwell has generated very few enquiries since being put on the market. Everton also like him but a loan is not possible because they already have Armando Broja from Chelsea for the 2024-25 campaign. Everton need to end that agreement in order to get someone else from Stamford Bridge but Chelsea are not willing to do so.
Chilwell is one of the highest paid players at Chelsea and they will have to be prepared to pay a proportion of his wages for Palace to be able to afford him.
Meanwhile, Chelsea are considering loan offers from several clubs for centre half Aaron Anselmino and are thinking about sending him away for the rest of the campaign.
Anselmino was signed from Boca Juniors for a fee in the region of £17million last August and was loaned back to the Argentina club for the rest of the year.
He officially joined up with the Chelsea squad last month but the club always planned to assess him for a few weeks before deciding whether he would continue learning under Maresca or go on loan to get first team football.
Chelsea are leaning towards the latter. They have received a bid from one team in France and Italy, plus lots of sides in England so far.
GO DEEPER
Can Forest and Chelsea credit a high squad turnover for improved fortunes?
(Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
