Chelsea transfer targets to prevent a repeat of Manchester United loss

Centre-Midfield

N’Golo Kante is the obvious one here. Against United he was the only player still putting in an effort after the hour mark. The real question is who his partner will be.

Cesc Fabregas should be the go-to for the remainder of the season. He adds the creativity in the middle that Chelsea desperately need. But defensively he is a liability and he has consistently been linked with a move away.

Nemanja Matic is a simpler problem. Chelsea should move on. He is just not the player he was in 2014/15 and cannot add enough to Chelsea’s midfield to justify holding onto him. He has had flashes of greatness, but too often they are marred by poor decisions, touches, and positioning.

Chelsea will need a dynamic midfielder who can match Kante’s energy. They need to be comfortable defensively, while able to create going forward and threaten from the midfield.

Nathaniel Chalobah, Lewis Baker and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are the players Chelsea already have, but none seem perfectly suited and ready for the role. Chalobah is ready, but must prove he can be the genesis of an attack.

Baker has lit the Netherlands ablaze, but the jump in quality from the Eredivisie to the Premier League is massive. It would be a risk to trust him with the role immediately. Loftus-Cheek’s future appears to be further up the pitch, arguments of his energy aside.

This is one of the most vital positions for the Blues. Radja Nainggolan and Arturo Vidal are two older options that would not get in the way of the youth for a long period, but both would be difficult to obtain.

Marco Verratti could be a part of the midfield for a decade. Again, the difficulty in signing him may prove too much. Finally, Youri Tielemans would be the easiest to get, but he would run into the same issues as Lewis Baker.

While the ideal target may not be readily clear, it is clear that someone has to become Kante’s partner. If Chelsea are forced to play centrally, they need a player that can create centrally without having to sacrifice defensive ability too much.