Ousmane Dembele would be an unnecessary yet supportive signing

On the list of needs Chelsea currently has this transfer window or even next, another attacker is pretty close to the bottom. Depending on how one slices the pie, the Blues have anywhere from three to seven attackers with most (including Thomas Tuchel) coming down on the higher side. Centerbacks, wingbacks, and midfielders are all of a greater need now and later.

That being said, Chelsea’s attack is hardly high flying. No matter what combination Tuchel uses, there is a distinct lack of incisiveness and creativity. Mason Mount is about the only player that bucks this trend with any regularity and he A: is a midfielder by nature and B: is not at the level of goal scoring or assisting to be the main guy for either. Attackers are low on the priority list, but a reshuffle wouldn’t be remiss despite it being an uphill battle.

Beyond how necessary an attacker is, however, is the signal some may send. Ousmane Dembele to Chelsea would be a sign of support for Thomas Tuchel. There are plenty of reasons why it wouldn’t make sense, but that small bit of information alone may be all that is required.

Tuchel only managed Dembele for one season, but the player made a strong impression on the manager before his big money move to Barcelona. If Tuchel is wanting to change up his attacking options, the club would be hard pressed to find a player Tuchel himself would be more interested in.

The two main drawbacks are the wages and the injury issues. The wages are inflated by the Spanish tax laws, but they would still do a pretty big hit on the budget. The injury issues are certainly a concern as well, but they are also somewhat overblown. Dembele still managed over 2500 minutes last season and, when fit, he starts.

Statistically, that may be enough for Tuchel. Injury prone players are a concern, but the reason why people can ignore it more with N’Golo Kante than Christian Pulisic is because the former maintains a high level when he’s fit. The latter did before and that helped his issues be ignored as well. The same could end up true for Dembele who puts in solid performances when he is fit.

But the biggest hang up would be Chelsea having to shuffle attackers out to make room. In the current three at the back set up, seven players are fighting for three spots (at most) with a few having to settle for time at wingback. Unless the 4-2-2-2 or some other four at the back is the plan for later, the introduction of Dembele would surely mean one or two attackers would have to leave. That is much easier said than done in the current economic climate of the footballing world.

For all those hang ups, however, none of them may matter if the board does it to show support for Tuchel. Fans have cried out for the board to back the manager or stick with one through the growing pains of a stable club. A Dembele signing would simply not happen if the board wasn’t totally convinced by Tuchel’s future in Blue. Yes, wingbacks and centerbacks are needed. But if Tuchel wants a player he adores and the board wants to show support in a rough patch, there will be few ways better to do so.