Chelsea: Five potential transfer targets from the Euro 2020 group stage

5. Lucas Hernandez, France, Bayern Munich

I must admit that selecting Hernandez for this list was slightly self-indulgent, as I have been a massive fan of his since his days at Atletico Madrid. Additionally, some might find it strange that the former most expensive defender in football history would be included as a cut-price option for Chelsea. Regardless of these caveats, Hernandez has proven himself to be an extremely valuable commodity for Les Bleus so far during the European Championships and could be a surprising departure from Bayern Munich this summer.

Some fans of the French national team raised an eyebrow at Hernandez representing his country at Euro 2020 because of his lack of playing time in the German capital. However, few can be surprised that his diminished role with Bayern coincided with Alphonso Davies’ rise to global superstardom and a period of poor fitness. Now, though, Hernandez has rediscovered his top form and will likely be discontent with only a reserve spot at the Allianz Arena.

Signing Hernandez would only make sense for Chelsea if some of the team’s underutilized players move on, specifically the left-footed defenders who were displaced by Ben Chilwell’s arrival from Leicester City before the season. Both Marcos Alonso and Emerson have been tipped for moves away from Stamford Bridge recently, with Alonso reportedly even being offered to Inter Milan as part of a player-plus-cash swap for Hakimi. If these two players end up leaving the club, they will need to be replaced, despite the fact that they did not contribute much towards the end of their Chelsea careers.

In terms of his fit within the squad, Hernandez’s left-footedness and versatility set him apart from the team’s other defenders. He has been successful as a center back and fullback, although many of his recent appearances for both club and country have been made on the left side of a back four. His performance against Germany displayed his potential to play as an attacking wing-back, though, as he made 34 successful carries, completed 83 percent of his passes, and sent in the cross that led to Mats Hummels’ decisive own goal. Hernandez’s defensive instincts are also significantly better than Chilwell’s, so the Englishman’s positioning mistakes that oftentimes led to counters down Chelsea’s left flank would likely be eliminated.

The biggest impediment to this deal being done is undoubtedly Hernandez’s price tag. After spending around €80 million on the France international only two seasons ago, Bayern would be incredibly reluctant to accept an offer much lower than that. However, the general abundance of talent in Bayern’s squad, along with Dayot Upamecano’s signing from RB Leipzig and Niklas Sule’s return from a long-term injury, make Hernandez almost obsolete. If the German champions decide to cut their losses and recoup some of the record-breaking transfer fee Chelsea would be wise to at least enquire about Hernandez’s availability.

Who would you like to see in a Chelsea shirt after the group stage? Let us know in the comments and on Twitter!