Chelsea open to offers for 20-year-old defender who has been at club since 2014
According to Football. London, Chelsea will listen to offers for Alfie Gilchrist, who enjoyed a productive season last term. The Cobham graduate made first-team appearances under Mauricio Pochettino and participated in 11 Premier League matches.
Gilchrist made his debut in December last year, coming on as a substitute in a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace. Mauricio Pochettino then handed the versatile defender a few matches when the Blues’ injury situation worsened, and the 20-year-old quickly became a household name in the squad.
His performance saw him get rewarded with a new contract in April, keeping him at the SW6 until 2026. Now the Blues want to push Gilchrist for more top-level experience and want to send him on loan, as getting minutes at Chelsea will not be possible.
The club wants him to get regular game time given his talent and ability to operate anywhere from the back. A loan move to a Premier League club will benefit the defender a lot, as he will gain top-level experience.
Maybe it will be too early to depend on Gilchrist; of course, he can even stay and be used as a substitute, which will also aid his growth at the club level, and he will get the odd game here. But our defensive depth makes it challenging for him to receive minutes on the pitch.
So far, Leeds United have shown interest, but sending him to the Championship doesn’t make sense given that we want him to be Premier League-ready in a few seasons. On the contrary, if Enzo Meresca thinks we must keep Gilchrist, there is also a chance that he will stay at the club.
Gilchrist is versatile, as he can operate as a right-back and a left-back, and he has put up impressive performances when given the chance. If he continues to do so, he will be the next big name from the long list of players coming out of the Chelsea academy.
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