According to the Evening Standard, Chelsea are keen on signing Newcastle captain Jamal Lascelles and have been monitoring the defender for the past two years.

The standout player for The Toon this season, Lascelles has been a defensive stalwart, producing mature displays that many would consider well beyond the talents of a 24-year-old.

Unfortunately, it seems that the defenders' performances have not gone unnoticed, with Chelsea reportedly keen on landing the former Nottingham Forest star.

https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/typical-newcastle.mp4

Lascelles is considered a key figure at Newcastle and the club demonstrated their commitment to the player by handing him an new six-year contract in October last year.

It is thought that the future of manager Rafael Benitez will have a major impact on whether Lascelles will want to stay on Tyneside.

The Spaniard has a close relationship with the defender and was the man who gave Lascelles the captain's armband in 2016, at just 22-year's of age.

If Benitez decides to leave Newcastle this summer, it wouldn't be surprise to see Lascelles following him out of the door.

After hearing the news that Chelsea are looking to sign their captain, who is valued at £6.3 million on Transfermarkt, Newcastle fans took to Twitter with a very clear message for any interested parties...

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