It feels like a Chelsea bid for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi could be imminent following the opening of the January transfer window.
Enzo Maresca has injuries at the back, and it is now being reported that Chelsea are keen on re-signing Marc Guehi.
Guehi left Chelsea for Crystal Palace in 2021, but he was not the only academy product to depart the club that year.
Tino Livramento joined Southampton in the same transfer window and when you look at Chelsea’s squad now, the Blues probably need him more than they need Guehi.
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Tino Livramento could solve Chelsea’s biggest issue
Central defence has slowly become a problem for Maresca. Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile are both out injured, and there are fears that Fofana could now be sidelined for months.
Considering that, there is sense in bringing Guehi back to Stamford Bridge, especially with this not being Fofana’s first serious injury.
However, for the time being, Maresca still has Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo and Axel Disasi, while Chelsea can also recall Trevoh Chalobah from his loan spell at Palace. At full-back, things get a little bit more complicated, which is why Livramento may be the former Chelsea academy player who actually needs to be re-signed.
Like Fofana, Reece James cannot stay fit either, while something appears to be holding Maresca back from starting Malo Gusto week in, week out. At times, he has opted to start Disasi at right-back over him. Josh Acheampong may be able to do a job there now, however.
On the opposite flank, left-back could also become an issue soon. Marc Cucurella has made that spot his own, but there are question marks surrounding cover for him. Ben Chilwell is not in Maresca’s plans, while Renato Veiga has reportedly been offered to Juventus.
Livramento has played in both full-back positions in his career and has got over his own injury problems. It is why re-signing him could be a masterstroke, though it is unlikely that Newcastle United will want to sell their £40m star.
Tino Livramento compared to Gareth Bale
Perhaps Chelsea should never have sold Livramento in the first place, but no one could have predicted all of the injuries that James has gone on to pick up at the time.
From the 22-year-old’s perspective, though, deciding to leave Chelsea was a good decision. Since his Stamford Bridge exit, he has developed into a very good footballer and has even got to play in the Champions League with Newcastle.
When Theo Walcott spoke about Livramento a few years ago, he compared him to Wales legend and former Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale.
“Do you know what, he reminds me a little bit of Gareth when he came through as a full-back,” Walcott told talkSPORT.
“That’s a big statement of course to compare him to someone like that but just feel like his presence and the way he drives and the pace and the power and it’s no surprises that you know what he’s going to do. He’s so strong with the ball and very clever and technically he is fantastic.”
Guehi may be the former Chelsea academy player the Blues are going after, but they need someone like Livramento just as much, if not more.
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