Filipe Luis: Chelsea close in on £20m Atletico Madrid left-back
Chelsea are prepared to offer the defender £78,000 per week
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Your support makes all the difference.Chelsea are closing in on Atletico Madrid left-back Filipe Luis.
According to the Evening Standard, the Blues are prepared to offer the Brazilian a salary of £78,000 per week to convince him to move to the club, with manager Jose Mourinho seeking another left-back with Ashley Cole set to leave Stamford Bridge during the summer.
Luis, who played against Chelsea in Atletico's Champions League semi-final win last month, has a £19.5m buy-out clause in his contract.
The Blues have a strong relationship with the La Liga champions, having loaned them goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois for the last three seasons and been in negotiations with them for several months over £32m striker Diego Costa.
Speaking after the Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid last weekend, Luis said he was hoping to see out the remaining three years on his contract at Atletico. However, Chelsea’s offer will double his salary and they are confident he will change his mind.
With Cole leaving as a free agent, Chelsea have limited options for the left-back role. Right-back Cesar Azpilicueta, who impressed out of position there last term, will be handed a contract extension this summer. Ryan Bertrand and Patrick van Aanholt have been on loan at Aston Villa and Vitesse Arnhem respectively, but the former is set to be sold and the latter will be assessed in pre-season training.
Luis is considered to be one of the best left-backs in Europe, although his performances were not considered good enough for him to be named in Brazil’s World Cup squad.
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