Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 9y

Chelsea target Baba Rahman closing in on move from Augsburg

Augsburg coach Markus Weinzierl says he wants Baba Rahman's future to be resolved sooner rather than later as Chelsea close in on the left-back.

Rahman, 21, did not feature in Augsburg's 5-0 friendly victory over Toulouse on Saturday and, although his absence was put down to "muscular problems," Weinzierl acknowledged that the Ghana international has been unsettled by the speculation.

"It's clear that I and all of us here want the facts soon," Weinzierl added in kicker.

Sources told ESPN FC at the weekend that Chelsea are confident of Rahman, who joined Augsburg from Greuther Furth last summer for €2.5 million, and Jose Mourinho has confirmed he is looking to add to his defensive options after allowing Filipe Luis to return to Atletico Madrid.

"We cannot go to the Premier League with five defenders," Mourinho said. "That's our weakness. The quality is good, but the numbers are not enough."

Kicker reports that Chelsea have all but agreed personal terms with Rahman but the two clubs have yet to reach an agreement, with Augsburg -- who will have to pay Greuther Furth 15 percent of the transfer fee -- said to be demanding €25 million.

Augsburg appear to have already lined up Rahman's replacement, though, with Karlsruher SC sporting executive Jens Todt telling kicker that negotiations for left-back Philipp Max have "hit the home stretch."

Augsburg are expected to pay the second-division side €3.6 million for the 21-year-old, who missed his side's 2-1 home defeat to St Pauli at the weekend.

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