Exclusive: Chelsea work on January centre-back signing
Chelsea are working on a new centre-back signing for when the January transfer window opens, sources have told Football Insider.
Levi Colwill suffered an ACL injury at the start of the season, and the Blues have also lost Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo in recent weeks, in further blows to their defensive ranks.
Enzo Maresca highlighted the need for a new centre-back when Colwill first got injured, but Chelsea failed to get one in before the transfer deadline.
Sources say that both Maresca and the club feel that the position is now a priority for when the window reopens
Chelsea’s defensive recruitment has been exposed
During Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat to Brighton, they were forced to line up with 19-year-old left back Jorrel Hato in the centre of their defence, due to a lack of options.
The other centre back in the game, Trevoh Chalobah, was sent off, adding yet more layers to Maresca’s issues.
There is no doubt that the Italian manager will be unimpressed that his calls for a new centre-back were left unanswered during the summer window.
However, with Axel Disasi training away from the main Chelsea squad, Maresca must recognise that he has alienated a defender who would be extremely useful to him in the current situation.
Enzo Maresca has questions to answer
Despite missing multiple defenders, Maresca is reportedly coming under pressure at Chelsea as a result of his side’s poor form, and must prove himself over the next few weeks.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who claims that the 45-year-old could soon face serious questions from the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge.
Despite a successful first season in charge, the owners will demand that they build on that success, and the manager must prove he can lead them to further silverware.
Chelsea have now won just one of their last five games across all competitions, and that victory came in an unconvincing display against Lincoln City.
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