A change of approach needed? (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
According to Goal (h/t The Mirror), Chelsea have earmarked the defensive trio of PSG star Presnel Kimpembe, RB Leipzig ace Josko Gvardiol and Atletico Madrid’s Jose Gimenez as summer transfer targets.
The Blues face a pivotal summer, especially in the transfer market. Thomas Tuchel’s success at Chelsea has been built on a solid defence and it is time for the German to rebuild that strength going into the new season.
Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen look set to leave the club in the summer while Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta could also follow suit. Losing four senior defensive stars in the same summer is not easy and represents a serious challenge for the Blues.
A major name doing the rounds is Jules Kounde. The Blues have been keen on the Frenchman for some time now and even came close to landing him last summer. Unfortunately, it was not to be and he stayed put at Sevilla.
While Chelsea are expected to return for the 23-year-old this summer, the deal is far from done. The Blues, for their part, are already eyeing alternatives and appear to be preparing contingency plans, which is smart considering they cannot pin all their hopes on one man this summer.
Kimpembe has been at the heart of the Paris Saint-Germain defence for the last few years and is certainly one of Ligue 1’s top defenders. He can be suspect at times but his talent and potential have rarely ever been up for debate.
Gvardiol meanwhile is one of the Bundesliga’s rising stars. The 20-year-old is swiftly making a name for himself and is definitely one to watch out for in the future. Chelsea can land themselves a player for the future should they move fast to land the young Croatian.
Of the three names in contention, Gimenez is certainly the most celebrated. The Uruguayan has been a major piece of Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid side and is well aware of how to function in a stingy defence. Chelsea could do with a defender who is also a leader and the 27-year-old fits the bill.
Tuchel and co have several key decisions to make this summer. Whether they will land Kounde or bring in someone else remains to be seen. With a defensive exodus on the cards, reinforcing the squad is more of a necessity rather than a luxury.
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