Chelsea transfer targets to prevent a repeat of Manchester United loss
By Travis Tyler
Centre-Back
At first glance, this position looks set. David Luiz, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta have all been some of the league’s best defenders this season. But they have clear faults. Luiz is still prone to mistakes, even if his partners cover them up. Cahill is fine when his pace can be kept out of the equation. Azpilicueta, meanwhile, will always be held back as a centre-back purely by his height, which opponents target on set pieces.
Chelsea already have the players to push the starters. Andreas Christensen will return from his long loan spell ready to contribute immediately. Kurt Zouma is returning to fitness and Nathan Ake is a proven talent in the Premier League.
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But Zouma and Ake are part of the issue. Zouma is still recovering, and was a force before his injury. He has yet to show that force as he did before. Conte seems to trust him, but a year on loan to get more playing time and return to his best may not be the worst idea.
Though Ake returned early from loan, he has yet to feature in any significant capacity. He has even failed to make the bench on almost every occasion. Conte still preferred the less flexible Zouma and John Terry as his matchday backups.
It raises the question as to why Ake was taken out of a consistent playing role to effectively become a number in training. He will likely go on another loan, or possibly transfer, at this point.
So with two defenders having a question mark over their head, the focus shifts towards reinforcement. Ideally, Chelsea will have five players to fight for the three centre-back spots. With Luiz, Cahill, Azpilicueta and Christensen,they need one more if Zouma and Ake are not in the picture next season.
Chelsea has been linked with a few players here including Virgil van Dijk and Leonardo Bonucci. Van Dijk would be the ideal as he has already proven himself in the Premier League. His long injury may raise some doubts. Bonucci would be an excellent stop gap if Zouma and Ake are loaned, but it will not help an ever-aging back line.