Chelsea: Jose Gimenez is the perfect defensive addition

Atletico Madrid CB Jose Gimenez has made his admiration for Chelsea very clear; Frank Lampard and co. should greet him with the same passion.

Centerbacks, who needs ’em? Well, starting from the top: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Lazio, AC Milan and oh yeah, Chelsea. Hell, even Bayern Munich—all-conquering as it is—could potentially do with some defensive bolstering, even with 50 percent of France’s World Cup winning back line. After all, Jerome Boateng is still capable of Jerome Boateng-ing.

In other words, it’s a valuable position; maybe the most valuable in the game right now considering the lengths with which clubs like Man City will go to in the hopes of strengthening. Unfortunately, as shown by the Citizens, it is also perhaps the hardest position to excel at in the modern game. Thus, the hardest to get right in the transfer market.

Thanks to greater demands placed upon our rearguards, there’s a dearth of truly exceptional talents capable of both playing the game we want to see and the game we sometimes need to see. This is where Jose Maria Gimenez comes in; the one and only, the Uruguayan Unicorn. Actually, that nickname is incorrect—bordering on ignorant—with Diego Godin et al. But that’s actually the point, Gimenez comes from a long line of Uruguayan Unicorns, each more fearsome than the last. At least, that’s what we hope.

It’s hope that’s got Gimenez in the news first off. Specifically, his semi-futile wish to have played with Blues boss Frank Lampard. With batting eyelashes, the defender admitted he would have loved to play with Lampard, also noting he used to enjoy watching Chelsea as a child.

Now, of course, this impossible desire doesn’t have to be in vain at all. In fact, as ‘come and get me’ pleas go, this is right up there—the Blues would be wise to act on it. With West Ham holding out for an eye-watering £80 million for Declan Rice, Kalidou Koulibaly approaching 30, Gabriel Magalhaes destined to be Gabriel Paulista 2.0 and Lewis Dunk being Lewis Dunk, the options are disparate and dissatisfying.

The same cannot be said for Gimenez; no way, Jose. To overcome Chelsea’s deficiencies, one must be experienced, but not too experienced; winning, but not all won out; versatile, but not undefined; ball-playing, but not John Stones.

The issue with the back line is not that it is bereft of talent, the club has at least three ‘good’ centerbacks in Kurt Zouma, Antonio Rudiger and … Fikayo Tomo—maybe it is just two. In any case, it’s not that the options are bad; they’re just not great and there’s certainly no excellence there. That is what Gimenez could bring. The Atletico Madrid man is the perfect blend of youth and experience, finesse and fight, fire and desire. At 25 years old, he has already made 58 appearances for his country, playing in two World Cups and three Copa Americas. He’s also netted a not-too-shabby eight goals.

At club level he’s made 191 outings, scoring eight times (there’s that number again), providing eight assists (and again), winning all there is to offer domestically, winning one Europa League and reaching two Champions League finals. Through it all—and from the center, right and defensive midfield spot—he’s shown an ability to marshal a defense, grab a game by the scruff of its neck with a decisive tackle, split midfields with his passing and clear with a proper header.

Sure, he’d come with a hefty price tag, but who doesn’t these days? Even then, he’d almost certainly be more inexpensive than almost every other realistic option that’s come across Lampard’s desk thus far this summer. Few other players possess such an imbalance of pedigree and appearances in the rumor columns.

It’s not often that players stick their neck out with such a pointed plea. Lampard would be wise to not let it go unheard, nor un-acted upon. #AnnounceJose (no, not that one).