Chelsea can use Kai Havertz transfer success to secure £80m Thomas Tuchel Premier League dream

Even if Chelsea fans have gained some hope from Wesley Fofana taking Leicester City out of his Twitter bio on Tuesday afternoon, the playing field over his potential transfer remains the same.

Leicester will demand a huge fee from Todd Boehly to get the French defender out of the King Power Stadium this year. The Foxes know his worth and also are well aware of Chelsea's growing desperation in this window to secure another defender after the signing of Kalidou Koulibaly last month.

Talks of a world-record fee for a defender are already being touted, or at the very least, getting close to the £85m Manchester United paid for Harry Maguire in 2019.

Spending this sheer amount on any player is daunting. For Chelsea, it's dangerous territory.

Chelsea fans have come accustomed to landmark deals going horribly wrong. Just look at Romelu Lukaku for £97m and Kepa Arrizabalaga for £71m. Both players are likely to end this window out on loan in Italy, a stark reflection of how those transfers turned out.

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With Fofana, you are also dealing with a young player, one who has recently recovered from a leg break that kept him out for the majority of last season. It is a leap of faith over potential and hope he can develop into the player many across football think he can become.

The best reference point for justifying such an expense would be the £71m deal for Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen in 2020.