Bayern Munich defender Niklas Süle is rumoured to have put talks of a contract extension 'on hold' amid interest from European champions Chelsea.
That's according to Bild journalist Christian Falk, who claims that the 26 year old is unsure about committing his future to The Allianz Arena and is intrigued about the prospect of working under Blues boss Thomas Tuchel.
Since joining the Bavarian giants from 1899 Hoffenheim in 2017, Süle has established himself as one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga, lifting four consecutive league titles, a Champions League and a European Super Cup. He's also appeared in all 8 of the club's matches so far this season.
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Chelsea made it no secret that they wanted to improve their centre back options this summer. Having failed to land Jules Koundé from Sevilla and with other target Milan Škriniar set to renew his stay at Inter Milan, Süle could be the only viable option for Tuchel and his recruitment team to pursue.
That said, Süle will do well to usurp those currently at the heart of Chelsea's defence. Following today's 3-0 win at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the West Londoners are top of the Premier League table, having conceded just the one goal so far this season.
This, in addition to the fact that Thiago Silva and Antonio Rüdiger were both on the scoresheet in North London, means Süle may have to play second fiddle for a while, much like Kurt Zouma did for a lot of last season.
However, Falk was keen to stress that Süle's future is far from certain. Talks are expected to become more concrete during the January transfer window, with manager Julian Nagelsmann keen to keep the defender as he continues to imprint his personality on the club.
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"I think very, very highly of him," the 34 year old told Bild earlier this summer, as quoted by Bavarian Football Works. "Niki's contract expires next year and his last season was not especially felicitous.
But he also has everything that a world-class defender needs. That shouldn't be forgotten."
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Chelsea, Jules Kounde, Thomas Tuchel, Premier League, Bayern Munich, Julian Nagelsmann, Bundesliga