Chelsea’s biggest need in January is a mega-move for a dynamic, big, talented central-defender to work with Thiago Silva or Kurt Zouma and take charge.
Chelsea is on the cusp of greatness and the next addition must be a tall, strong, tough central defender to provide steel to the backline as the team moves forward. The team’s backup central defenders are all capable and talented, but, they are not of sufficient quality to help lead Chelsea to a Premier League or Champions League title. With Thiago Silva and the emerging Kurt Zouma, Chelsea is set at present, at times, to challenge any team in the UK or Europe for titles. But another addition on the backline is absolutely necessary.
Thiago Silva is 36 years old. He’s still a galactico central defender. He brings far more than just absolute magnificence as a player. He is also a leader on the pitch and most likely off. His being named captain on occasion certainly points to his presence, both as a leader and as a player. He is an absolute star and has been for many years as a previous article advocating for his signing explained in detail.
Silva and players like John Terry, Pepe, Sergio Ramos, and Virgil van Dijk come few and far between in world football at that position. When one is available on the market, or a club can make one available to them, they have to make the effort and make it happen. For Chelsea, Silva is unfortunately a relatively short-term solution. How many years can he really be expected to perform at the high levels that he is at this time and has for many years? Hopefully for five years but that is not a realistic expectation.
In light of that eventuality, Chelsea must move soon for a central defender who can augment the Silva/Zouma team and be ready to play in a rotation with Silva and Zouma. It has been written in these pages that the Blues need a tall, strong, dominating player to fill that position in the future.
It says here that Niklas Sule from Bayern Munich is the player who could fill that role without a doubt and completely. He fits the bill. Sule is young at 25 years old (won’t be 26 until next September). Yet, he is experienced now at the highest levels of football. He’s a winner.
His transfermarkt value is $52.8M and that would be a major value-signing if Chelsea can get the deal done at that level, a steal, as they say in the US. Sule is almost 6’4″ tall, strong and, of course, as a German National Team member, it might be of interest to him to play alongside Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, and Toni Rudiger who are also members of that national team. Chelsea should raid Bayern this January or at the latest next summer and bring the talented German to Stamford Bridge. He’d be worth whatever it takes to bring the stalwart German to SW6. Pay the freight. He’ll pay it back for a decade.