Chelsea in talks with Championship side over left back transfer

Chelsea has spent the last three weeks twiddling its thumbs while its top four rivals are strengthening their sides. The Blues’ squad issues aren’t anything new, they’ve struggled for the last two months due to injuries, fatigue and a COVID-19 outbreak in the team. Therefore, it’s a bit concerning when none of these issues have been addressed as the end of the January transfer window draws closer. Marina Granovskaia and Co. have always been meticulous about their transfer business, but this time their shrewdness could come back to haunt them in the end.

As a club, Chelsea has signed just one player during the winter transfer period (two if you want to count the signing of Alsu Abdullina in late December). Travis Akomeah and Abdullina will ultimately prove to be excellent additions to their respective squads, so the club’s decision makers deserve praise there. Nevertheless, the first team is still struggling with squad depth and nothing has been done about it up to this point. The latest transfer rumors are now linking the Blues with a left back from Derby County in a deal that looks to be in the final stages.

Chelsea is in talks with Derby County left back Dylan Williams over a move

Reports are now surfacing that Chelsea is in talks with Derby County left back Dylan Williams. Rams boss Wayne Rooney confirmed the talks in his press conference on Friday morning, albeit he did not mention the Blues by name. Instead, he chose to acknowledge it was a Premier League club in for the youngster’s services. This is a name that many Derby supporters will know well seeing as he’s one of the most promising young players in the club’s ranks. However, understandably, the name doesn’t do much for the Chelsea faithful.

The 18-year-old has made six appearances for Rooney’s Rams in the Championship this season, adding another two in the Carabao Cup. Additionally, he’s played five times in Premier League 2. Williams is a left back by trade who can also line up in a number of other positions. He’s played a total of 41 games with Derby County at the U18 level and up. Williams has combined for 27 appearances as a left back/left wingback while also occasionally lining up as a central midfielder (six appearances), defensive midfielder and left winger (one appearance each). He made his first team debut during the 2020/21 campaign in the FA Cup where he played 90 minutes at Chorley. In total, he’s found the back of the net four times and assisted three goals during his 41 matches.

If you’ve made it this far, chances are you’re unimpressed by Williams’ CV and confused with how he could fix the left wingback issues. Luckily, that’s not why he is being brought in. Williams’ role will be to help fix the depth problems at the same position within the youth ranks. This means that, despite making two signings over the month (both of which are youth players) and recalling Kenedy from his loan in Brazil, Chelsea has yet to address its most glaring area of concern.

There are still rumors linking the Blues to an incoming transfer at both left and right wingback, the issue is there aren’t any names being thrown around and we’re approaching the end of the window. It is worth noting that Williams’ purchase could open the door for either Lewis Hall or Harvey Vale to spend more time with the first team. Again though, while both are exciting, young prospects, neither are natural wingbacks who provide solutions to Tuchel’s current problem.

What do you make of the Williams rumors? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!