Chelsea raid Spanish champions again for £16m Cole replacement
CHELSEA are set to continue their raid on Atletico Madrid’s title winning team by signing left-back Filipe Luis after they had a £16m bid accepted by the Spanish club.
The Brazil-born player is a direct replacement for Ashley Cole, who joined Roma this summer after the Blues opted not to extend his eight-year spell in west London.
Filipe Luis Kasmirski – his full name – is the third key component of the team that won Atletico’s first league for 18 years set to play at Stamford Bridge next season.
Chelsea completed the £32m signing of striker Diego Costa this week, while they have exercised an option to recall goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois following three successful years in La Liga.
Manager Jose Mourinho has also been linked with a move for a fourth Atletico player, midfielder Thiago, who he signed for Chelsea in 2004 during his first spell in charge.
Filipe Luis turns 29 next month and has four caps for Brazil but was not part of the World Cup squad. He would not meet work permit requirements for a non-EU citizen but that hurdle has been removed as he also has Italian nationality.
Chelsea’s Senegal striker Demba Ba is poised to join Turkish side Besiktas just 18 months after moving south from Newcastle.