Chelsea should call Borussia Dortmund for their Jorginho deputy

Chelsea needs a deputy for Jorginho. Borussia Dortmund are sitting on two players that they are not using who could fit the bill. A deal can be made here.

Maurizio Sarri has been consistent in his need for a Jorginho deputy. Since Cesc Fabregas departed, the Blues have been on the hunt for someone to play the highly specialized role.

For a while, it appeared as if it would be Leandro Paredes. But the Blues pulled out as the price rose and they still need someone who can fill the hole.

Borussia Dortmund just so happens to have two players who fit the bill. Neither Julian Weigl nor Mahmoud Dahoud is playing much this season. Given Chelsea’s good relationship with Dortmund, a deal could likely be reached if Chelsea has a go at it.

Lucien Favre has done incredibly well at Dortmund, but he has favored a particular set of players. Christian Pulisic, on loan from Chelsea, has been one of the fringe players. But Weigl and Dahoud can barely say they are even fringe.

Weigl currently has 739 minutes this season and Dahoud currently has 937 minutes. Most of those minutes came earlier in the season with Weigl only getting back into the side post November as a centerback.

That does not seem too bad on its own, but considering how Weigl had 2,573 minutes last season and Dahoud had 1,831 minutes, this season feels like a step for Weigl and more of the same for Dahoud.

Both players could deputize Jorginho for Chelsea, though neither is perfectly ideal. Weigl is on the slow side, though his passing is on par with Jorginho and his defense in midfield is arguably even better. Dahoud is more box to box, but could be made to do Jorginho’s role if needed.

Of course, it is unlikely that Chelsea could make a deal happen for either easily. It would likely require a high transfer fee like Pulisic’s or a player going the other way. But Chelsea does have a player that they are trying to offload who could interest Dortmund: Michy Batshuayi.

By all accounts, Batshuayi enjoyed his loan there last year and Dortmund enjoyed having him. The management is different, but they could use another attacker with their current injury woes. If Chelsea could offer Batshuayi and cash for either Weigl or Dahoud, a deal could potentially happen.

The two clubs have a good working relationship now and have players of interest the other club could use that they currently are not using much. Weigl would be ideal for Chelsea to deputize Jorginho and would be more than capable of holding his own against tough opponents as well. Dahoud would be less ideal but could get the job done better than most targets.

Regardless, Chelsea needs to do something here soon. Jorginho cannot play every match and there is no ideal option behind him right now. Making something happen with Dortmund in a mutually beneficial exchange might just be the best move the Blues have to play.