Report: Fofana requests transfer as Leicester demand over £80M from Chelsea

Wesley Fofana has asked Leicester City to let him join Chelsea and is growing frustrated with his huge price tag potentially scuppering a move, according to the Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella.

The 21-year-old has already agreed to personal terms with Chelsea in anticipation of the two clubs finally shaking hands on a deal, The Guardian's Fabrizio Romano reports.

Leicester are understood to be seeking more than £80 million for Fofana. It's the same amount the Foxes received from Manchester United for Harry Maguire in 2019 - which remains a world-record fee for a defender.

Chelsea reportedly believe it could take at least £85 million to encourage Leicester to sell Fofana. The Blues are expected to eventually meet the East Midlands club's asking price, sources told The Guardian's Jacob Steinberg.

Fofana moved to Leicester from Saint-Etienne for around £32 million in 2020.

The Frenchman's potential arrival could mark the end of Chelsea's recruitment in defense this summer. Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger left following the expiration of their contracts in June, prompting head coach Thomas Tuchel and new co-owner Todd Boehly to address those gaps in the summer transfer window. Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella have since joined the club, but adding Fofana to one of the center-back roles would allow Reece James to feature regularly at right wing-back rather than to the right of a back-three.

One lingering concern around Fofana is his fitness following his return from a broken leg in March. But Fofana's mature performances made him an instrumental figure in Brendan Rodgers' backline before that setback, and he was named Leicester's Young Player of the Season for 2020-21. He's yet to be capped by France.