Chelsea have joined the race to sign an Aston Villa transfer target this summer.

Sevilla defender Loic Bade is reportedly the subject of renewed interest from Chelsea with the Blues expected to make an official approach this summer.

The 24-year-old has been going from strength to strength since joining Sevilla in 2023, quickly establishing himself as one of the most talented defenders in La Liga and earning widespread transfer attention. It’s not been the best season for Sevilla with Los Rojiblancos currently 13th in the Spanish top flight, but Bade has still managed to stand out as the club’s best defender.

A new report from Spain suggests Chelsea are taking a serious look at Bade ahead of the summer transfer window with Enzo Maresca “determined” to strengthen his defence. Bade is said to be one of the main targets - alongside Marc Guehi and Jules Kounde - with Chelsea preparing an offer of around €30 million (£24.8 million) to try and secure his services.

The Blues aren’t the only Premier League side to show a serious interest as Aston Villa saw several official offers rejected during the January window. Following the departure of Diego Carlos and the injury for Pau Torres, Unai Emery named Bade as his priority target but a deal was never clinched with Sevilla.

There were also complications when trying to agree personal terms with the player as he wouldn’t give the green light to make the move to Villa Park. It awaits to be seen if that was just a reluctance to leave Sevilla mid-season or whether he was genuinely not excited by the prospect of joining.

It wasn’t the first time Villa’s president of football operations, Monchi, had been in talks to sign Bade as he was the man to bring the player to his former club, Sevilla, in the first place. The pair had a strong relationship, as shown by hugs and laughs on live television after winning the 2023 UEFA Europa League.

Earlier in that very season - 2022/23 - Bade endured a disaster spell in England as he joined Nottingham Forest on loan but didn’t make a single competitive appearance. It was some rise to then join Sevilla and become a regular starter on the way to his first European crown.

How well would Loic Bade suit the Premier League?

Three times an appearance maker for France Under-23 at the Olympic Games last summer, Bade is closing in on his first senior appearance for his country. He’s a top talent reportedly wanted by a host of elite clubs across Europe, including Liverpool and Bayern Munich.

Right-footed, towering at 6ft 3in and quick off the mark, Bade would slot in nicely alongside Pau Torres once the Spaniard has returned from his broken metatarsal injury. Ezri Konsa would likely shift across to right-back in place of Matty Cash, or Bade could rotate with Konsa in the middle across the Premier League and Champions League.

Bade is also very assured with his feet, more than capable of picking out a winger on the opposite flank or dribbling out from the back himself. Having Pau and Bade as two ball-playing defenders alongside one another could be intimidating for opponents and would suit Emery’s system to a T.