Everything is pointing towards Liam Rosenior’s first signing as Chelsea boss being a central defender.
Chelsea want a centre-back who can complement Levi Colwill once the 22-year-old recovers from his ACL injury.
At one stage, it looked like the Blues would wait until the summer to sign a new centre-half.
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However, they have brought forward their plans and are now reportedly eyeing three names.
Chelsea have Jeremy Jacquet, Jacobo Ramon and Marcos Senesi on centre-back shortlist
According to the Daily Mail, Rennes’ Jeremy Jacquet, Como’s Jacobo Ramon and Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi are the three individuals currently being considered by Chelsea.
Jacquet appears to be at the top of their shortlist amid speculation that they are already working on a deal to sign him.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Chelsea have been in direct talks with Rennes over a potential deal for Jacquet.
IMAGINE: You have the final say on Chelsea’s three-man centre-back shortlist. Who will you pick?
The three centre-back targets under consideration at Chelsea:
- Jeremy Jacquet
- Jacobo Ramon
- Marcos Senesi
At 28, Senesi is probably below Jacquet and Ramon on the Blues’ shortlist. He is not in the age bracket that the club usually look at.
That is not a good reason to dismiss the Argentine, though. In fact, his age is exactly why they should be prioritising him.
Marcos Senesi should be Chelsea’s priority
Chelsea have such a young and inexperienced squad. They need more seasoned footballers, especially at the back, and Senesi is just that.
Senesi is approaching his 30s now and has made almost 100 appearances in the Premier League, so he is not a novice in English football.
As crucial as experience is, though, the most important thing is ability, which Senesi has. His defensive stats over the past year have been pretty impressive.
As per FBref, Senesi is making 1.62 interceptions, 2.08 blocks and 8.00 clearances per 90 minutes. It puts him in the 92nd, 99th and 97th percentiles for those three areas among his positional peers.
Compared to the likes of Jacquet and Ramon, Senesi is a safer bet and has more of a chance of adapting at Stamford Bridge given his age and Premier League experience.
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