Three defenders Chelsea should consider signing in January to solve centre-back crisis
Chelsea are struggling in defense this season with a slew of players missing game-time due to a combination of injuries and suspensions.
Enzo Maresca was left with his plans for the season in tatters after his main central defensive cog Levi Colwill suffered an ACL injury on the eve of the new campaign.
In Colwill’s absense, Chelsea have already used seven different players at centre-back this season – Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Tosin Adarabioyo, Josh Acheampong, Jorrel Hato, Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile.
Sources told Football Insider in September that Chelsea were already working on a new signing in central defense for January, and their problems at the back have only gotten worse since that news broke.
In Chelsea’s 2-1 win against Liverpool on October 4, Maresca started with Badiashile and Acheampong at centre-back, but what was already a back-up pairing had to be replaced entirely with both substituted due to fresh injuries.
James, who is provisionally a right-back who can play in midfield, and Hato, who has largely been used at left-back in his young career, finished the game as the club’s defensive pairing.
Chelsea now must sign an additional defender if they have any hopes of a mounting an unlikely challenge for the title, but it will be difficult to convince clubs to let go of a defender of Chelsea’s level mid-season.
Marcos Senesi
One player Chelsea absolutely must consider making an enquiry for is Bournemouth‘s Marco Senesi, who has been one of the stand-out defenders in the Premier League this season.
Tasked with martialing a defense that lost Dean Huijsen, Illia Zabarnyi, Milos Kerkez and Kepa Arrizabalaga during the summer, Senesi has been central to Bournemouth’s success this season.
Senesi has made the most interceptions of any defender in the Premier League this season (13), while only Liverpool‘s Virgil van Dijk (61) has made more clearances than the Argentinian (57).
Given Chelsea’s possession-based system, a central defender’s on-ball abilities are of course of equal importance too, and Senesi stars in this respect also, making the joint-second-most progressive passes of any central defender this season (40) behind Brighton‘s Jean Paul van Hecke (53).
Senesi has made 75 line-breaking passes in total, with 12 of those breaking the opposition’s defensive line – twice as many as any other centre-back.
Meanwhile, the only player to complete more long-range passes than Senesi in the Premier League this season is Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, meaning Senesi leads all outfield players in this respect.
Joachim Andersen
Chelsea’s transfer strategy under BlueCo has been centred on locating young players with high ceilings who they can still flip for a good fee if a move doesn’t go as planned.
If they are serious about challenging this season, they will have to rethink that blueprint in January. What they require right now is an experienced leader who can help guide them through a tough period.
Fulham‘s Joachim Andersen is exactly that player, with the ball-playing defender having undertaken leadership roles at both Crystal Palace and Fulham to great effect.
Andersen has made an incredible 89 defensive actions this season, while he also showcases an ability to bring his wingers into play, with his 10 switches of play the second most of any player this season, behind Kyle Walker (11).
Marc Guehi
Marc Guehi did of course come very close to a Liverpool move at the end of the summer transfer window before Crystal Palace pulled the pug at the last minute, but if any side could tempt him away from a future move to Anfield, it is surely Chelsea, given he was with the club from 2007 to 2021.
Guehi has not let his failed move to Liverpool affect his performances this season for Palace, and if anything, the England defender has improved.
Standing at around six feet, Guehi is on the smaller side for a central defender, and his aerial ability has often been raised as a potential issue for top-level suitors.
Guehi has put that debate to bed this season, with his 67.9 per cent aerial win rate the highest mark of his career to date, and a huge rise on last season’s figure of 54 per cent.
The Crystal Palace captain has also showcased strong defensive fundamentals this season, leading all central defenders for tackles in the defensive third season (14) while only committing three fouls.