Chelsea FC Transfer Rumors: Toby Alderweireld To Stamford Bridge
Chelsea FC is being linked with a move for defender Toby Alderweireld as they search for more depth in defense behind John Terry and Gary Cahill. Alderweireld is usually deployed as a central defender but is more than capable of playing as a right back. Think of him as a slightly younger, much less accomplished Branislav Ivanovic.
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So as these transfer rumors swirl linking Chelsea to yet another Belgian player, we thought to take a closer look at Alderweireld and see what he is all about.
Name: Toby Alderweireld
Birthplace: Antwerp, Belgium
Birthdate: March 2nd, 1989 (Age 26)
Nationality: Belgium
Club: Atletico Madrid
Although Toby Alderweireld is officially an Atletico Madrid player, most fans associate him more with English club Southampton. He signed for Atletico Madrid in 2013 after spending five years at Ajax for a fee reported to be around £6 million. The defender made 22 appearances in all competitions for Atletico and won the La Liga title with the club. He struggled to become a first team regular ahead of Diego Godin and Miranda.
For the 2014-15 season, Atletico sent him out on loan to Southampton with an option to buy at the end of the season for a fee believed to be £6.3 million. Enough to cover the initial fee and wages from the 2013-14 season. He excelled in the Premier League and helped Southampton become one of the best defensive units in the league.
In fact they were second only to Chelsea FC in goals allowed with 33 in 38 league matches. They finished an unexpected 7th in the table after selling several key players in the summer and it was moves like bringing in Alderweireld that helped propel them up the table.
The question for Alderweireld now is whether or not he wants to remain at Southampton, move on to another club, or simply return to Atletico Madrid. According to Sky Sports, Atletico can veto Southampton’s right to buy Alderweireld at the previously agree upon fee and put him on the open market. The move back to Atletico would be more appealing if the rumored departures of Godin or Miranda happen but a happy return to Southampton is more likely.
If he does choose to join Chelsea FC then Alderweireld will have to be content with a role as a squad player and not a regular starter. It is not often that fully established internationals in their prime will join a club to sit on the bench but he could be drawn to Chelsea for the wages and limelight. He has already tasted silverware and a deep run with Atletico Madrid but it could be a more consistent thing at Stamford Bridge.
Signing Toby Alderweireld would be an excellent move for the Blues but at this moment it is up to him to decide if he is ready to accept a rotational role. Jose Mourinho has shown a reluctance to rotate his defense very much but with John Terry only getting older and Gary Cahill seemingly in decline bringing in an experienced player like Alderweireld would be an excellent contingency plan.
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