About a year ago, I started a centerback scouting series that is now five parts deep. This is relevant because many of the central defenders you’d be expecting to see in this piece will not feature, and that is mainly because they have been covered comprehensively already in the past. These centerbacks include—but aren’t limited to—Benoit Badiashile, Cristian Romero, Maxence Lacroix, Dayot Upamecano and most recently, Nikola Milenkovic. Since the series kicked off, those aforementioned starlets have risen to fame. For example, Upamecano has moved to Bayern Munich and he’s already won the league with the Bavarian club. Meanwhile, Romero has moved to Tottenham Hotspur, where many would agree he is now Spurs’ best centerback when fit.
Part one of that centerback scouting series talks about the things Chelsea should be looking for in a centerhalf. These traits include: very good passing and an ability to make several passes in a game (both under pressure and otherwise), a diverse passing range, superb defensive awareness, as well as a willingness to put one’s body on the line to prevent a goal, and a competence in winning duels on the ground and in the air. Keeping all of this in mind, we must now look at some centerback options to replace Antonio Rudiger seeing as he’s played his final game in a Blues shirt.
Rudiger did many things right over the years, despite many knowing that he was not the most reliable centerback in a two-centerback formation. Regardless, the German was very good with his counter-pressing, as well as ball-carrying. He was also known for his distribution, especially his high-volume long passing. These things are considered when looking at these potential centerback replacements for the lovable central defender. It’s worth keeping in mind that some centerbacks won’t immediately look like a perfect fit, as they currently play in teams that don’t control possession as much as Tuchel’s Chelsea.
Here are three possible replacements for the soon departing centerback, Rudiger:
1. Robin Le Normand (Real Sociedad, France)
Robin Le Normand was comfortably the best centerback on Spanish soil last season. He plays as a left-sided centerback for Real Sociedad, even though he’s right-footed. This season, he has been magnificent, as well. Le Normand’s team often tries to play out from the back whenever possible, which means the ball often goes through him. He’s as comfortable in possession as he is out of it, which is incredibly important in the system Tuchel is currently trying to perfect. Le Normand tallies 0.6 shots blocked per 90. He also has more clean sheets than any other La Liga outfielder this season (19) in 36 games. Le Normand averaged 1.3 interceptions per game, and 1.4 tackles per game, winning 88% of his tackles contested. He is the definition of dominant.
He is fantastic in duels, as he wins 1.9 ground duels per game, at a 61% success rate. The central defender also wins 2.9 aerial duels per game at a 61% success rate. At six-foot-two (1.87m) he’s not as tall as most centerbacks come, but he can clearly hold his own in the air. He’s not much of a goalscorer though, only managing to find the back of the net twice this season. Le Normand has made 50.4 passes per game at an 89% accuracy though. He has averaged 3.4 long balls per game and leads his team in passes per game, which only serves to reinforce the earlier point about the Frenchman being a focal point in Real Sociedad’s build-up play. He has a long ball accuracy of 56%, which is very good. Le Normand’s passing would be important if he was ever going to play for Chelsea as he’d make even more passes and attempt more long balls.
If he is going to play in a three-centerback formation—and there is everything to suggest he would if he switches to west London—he would need to drive into space that opens up in midfield. He can do that too. Progressive passes account for 5% of all of Le Normand’s passes and progressive carries account for 7% of all his carries per game. This is much less than Rudiger, who sits at 9% and 11% respectively. This is nothing to worry about though, as Le Normand would get more chances to pass and carry the ball forward at with the Blues.
Furthermore, Le Normand would be very good at counter-pressing. He and Rudiger average a similar number of pressures per 90, but the 25-year-old succeeds at a higher percentage than his German counterpart. He averages eight pressures per 90 at a 36% success rate, compared to Rudiger’s 8.7 pressures per 90, at a 31% success rate. Suffice it to say, Le Normand would be an excellent addition to Chelsea.
2. Brendan Chardonnet (Stade Brestois 29, France)
Brendan Chardonnet is probably not a name you expected to see on this list, but he has performed very well this season. Playing for Ligue 1 club Brest, Chardonnet helped his team to an impressive 11th place finish in the French top flight. “Impressive?” Yes, when you consider that Les Pirates barely escaped relegation last season by the skin of their teeth, finishing just one point above the drop zone when things were all said and done.
Chardonnet has contributed to six clean sheets in 30 games that he has started this season. The Frenchman has very good interception and tackling numbers too. He averages 1.7 interceptions per game this season, as well as 1.4 tackles per game. Chardonnet has won 78% of his tackles, which is very good. Unsurprisingly, he blocks one shot per game too. The relatively unknown centerback is also very strong at winning duels. He has won 63% of his ground duels this season, winning 2.2 per game. Chardonnet has also won 62% of his aerial duels, averaging 2.2 aerials per game. 62% aerial duels won is commendable when you consider that he is five-foot-11 (1.81m) tall. Like Rudiger, Chardonnet averages 8.72 pressures per 90, but the Brest man has a higher success rate than the German (38%)
His passing is similar to Rudiger’s in that he is also a high-volume long passer. He has averaged 5.4 long balls per game this season at a 53% long ball accuracy, which is identical to Rudiger’s long ball accuracy. Chardonnet plays for a team that averages 44% possession, so it remains to be seen how well he’d do in a possession-based side. He currently averages the most passes per game for his team though, as well as long balls.
His volume of long balls indicates that his team currently plays through him, so this would not be a foreign concept should he come to a place like Chelsea. He has averaged 34.3 passes per 90 at an 83% passing accuracy. This passing accuracy is on par for a player who plays in the kind of team Chardonnet plays in. Even Rudiger at AS Roma averaged around 82% passing accuracy, but all that increased when he played in a team that dominated possession. The same can be assumed for Chardonnet. Chardonnet’s ball progression is also very good, as 6% of his carries and passes are progressive, though not as progressive as Rudiger’s. Again, Chardonnet will get more space and chances to progress the ball more if he plays for a team that controls more of the ball.
Chardonnet would not be expensive either, as he is 27 years old. The Blues may be able to get him for about £15 to 22 million. This is because his contract expires in 2025 and he’s the team captain, so he’s invaluable to his current side.
3. Hiroki Ito (VfB Stuttgart, Japan)
Hiroki Ito may be the perfect left-footed left centerback Chelsea needs. A special appeal to him would be the fact that he plays in a three-centerback formation and a two-centerback formation already with his current club. His passing numbers are also similar to Rudiger’s in that he’s also a high-volume long passer. Ito plays as a left-sided centerback whenever Stuttgart plays a two-centerback formation and a left centerback when it plays in a back three. Ito has made more than 14 appearances in a back three and more than eight appearances in a back four. Furthermore, his left-footedness may be of particular appeal to the Blues as they haven’t had that in a long time as it relates to a left centerback.
Ito averages 1.8 interceptions per game and makes 1.5 tackles per game too. He has won 71% of his tackles this season and averaged 0.9 blocked shots per 90. Ito wins 2.0 ground duels per game at a 56% success rate and wins 1.4 aerials per game at a 52% success rate. He averages 9.9 pressures per 90, as well, winning 37% of them.
He makes 57.2 passes per 90 at an 82% success rate. He also averages 5.4 long balls completed per game at a 45% success rate. This means that Ito attempts 12 long passes per game. He might need to attempt less if he’s going to play for Chelsea, as the Blues prioritize possession. His ball progression is better through passing, as 8% of his passes are progressive compared to 5% of his carries being progressive. Ito was on loan this season from J2 League club Jubilo Iwata in Japan. He will return to his club the conclusion of this campaign and thus, Chelsea would have to do its negotiations with the Japanese club. The Blues should be able to get him for between £7 to 10 million. He’s still just 23 years old, so he still has up to 10 more years of peak performance.
Which centerback do you think would best replace Rudiger? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!
Statistics of tackles, interceptions, long balls and clean sheets are from SofaScore. Statistics of blocks, passing per 90, progressive passes and progressive carries are from fbref.