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Alves, Sandro, Oxlade-Chamberlain: Chelsea’s rumour mill lining up wing-backs

By George Perry

ROME, ITALY - MAY 17: Dani Alves of Juventus FC celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the TIM Cup Final match between SS Lazio and Juventus FC at Olimpico Stadium on May 17, 2017 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
ROME, ITALY - MAY 17: Dani Alves of Juventus FC celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the TIM Cup Final match between SS Lazio and Juventus FC at Olimpico Stadium on May 17, 2017 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea’s transfer rumour mill is taking a short break from strikers to focus on the Blues’ needs at wing-back. Arsenal’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joins Dani Alves and Alex Sandro on the list of potential transfer targets.

Chelsea’s need to reinforce Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses at wing-back permeated the transfer rumour mill. Juventus reportedly turned down “a very good offer” for Alex Sandro last week. That came on the heels of the impossibly delicious rumour that Dani Alves was on the market and interested in joining the Blues.

In addition to the two Juventus men, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain may be mimicking his Arsenal teammate Alexis Sanchez in angling for a move from north London to west London. According to SkySports, contract talks have stalled between Arsenal and Oxlade-Chamberlain.

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Like Sanchez, Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract expires next season. Arsenal want to secure a longer future for both players. If they cannot, they will want to sell them this summer to avoid losing them on a free transfer next year.

Manchester City are another possible destination for Oxlade-Chamberlain, and for Dani Alves. City have a slight edge over Chelsea for Alves given that it would reunite Alves with Pep Guardiola. Alves’ role at City would be similar to what he would find at Stamford Bridge: bring experience, mentorship and ability to a club alongside 20-25 appearances.

However, City need much more out of the transfer market than Chelsea, and much more than the intangibles can provide. Guardiola must either overhaul his squad or thoroughly reinforce it with “his” players to overcome last season’s disappointment. Alves would not play as many games as Guardiola needs his new arrivals to play. As much as Alves understands Guardiola’s tactics and style from their time at Barcelona, Guardiola’s needs are much deeper than an on-pitch lieutenant.

Alves would provide the necessary support and depth to Chelsea’s wing-backs. He could fill in for either Alonso or Moses, allowing them to rest and recover while also covering during any injuries. However, he would not offer either player significant competition for their spot.

As solid as Alonso and Moses were last season, they are not yet fully capable of propelling Chelsea through the Champions League. Domestically, Chelsea’s Premier League opponents have already figured out how to exploit their weaknesses. The two will surely continue to improve, but Antonio Conte needs a player who can challenge them for their jobs and acclerate their development.

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In that regard, Alex Sandro is the best candidate. Juventus surely recognizes this, which may be why they rejected Chelsea’s opening offer. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would require a learning curve similar to Alonso’s and Moses’. He could fill that role long-term, but may not provide the impact Chelsea and Conte will look for next season.

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