Chelsea’s recent 3–1 defeat to Flamengo served as a wake-up call for the Blues to reinforce their backline ahead of next season. Enzo Maresca started Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah in the heart of the defence, with Marc Cucurella at left-back and Malo Gusto on the right, and it’s fair to say that it was underwhelming.
Interestingly, Reece James was deployed in midfield rather than his usual right-back position in the recent matchup, raising further questions regarding Chelsea’s plans for the role next season. The Englishman did play in the middle of the park early on in his career, on loan at Wigan Athletic.
Recently, it was reported that the club might part with Malo Gusto if a suitable offer arrives for the Frenchman. In the event that happens, it would leave the injury-prone James and the inexperienced Josh Acheampong as the club’s only natural options at right-back.
The club will certainly want to avoid such a situation, which has led the Blues to explore the transfer market for another right-back. And it looks like they have been impressed with a Flamengo player's performance against them, leading to an enquiry.
Chelsea interested in Flamengo right-back Wesley Franca
According to O Globo (via The Chelsea Chronicle), the Blues have registered an interest in signing Wesley Franca this summer. Flamengo are already internally planning for his move to Europe.
Franca was incredible against Chelsea. He won all four of his tackles, eight out of eleven duels, was not dribbled past and completed 42 out of 46 passes. The Brazilian has caught the attention of several clubs, including Arsenal. The Brazilian is reportedly valued at €35 million.
However, over the past few years, Chelsea have signed many players without much consideration. The club shouldn’t judge the Brazilian based on just one performance and should carry out proper research before taking a final decision.