With Marc Cucurella gone, Chelsea need to find a replacement and since the Spaniard’s move to Real Madrid, the club are said to have identified four possible signings.
There is a belief that with Cucurella gone and Jorrel Hato better as a central defender, two left-backs could be signed by Chelsea before the start of the new season. It is deemed a priority for Xabi Alonso.
RATE 1-10: Is Marc Cucurella’s exit good business by Chelsea?
Lewis Hall has been deemed a dream signing, but unlikely. Currently at Newcastle, there has been some talk that Hall could leave Newcastle but a return to Chelsea, after BlueCo sold him, seems very unlikely.
He remains a possibility given the level of interest from Chelsea, while reports say Chelsea have opened talks or made enquiries for Sporting’s Maxi Araujo, Juve’s Andrea Cambiaso and Madrid’s Alvaro Carreras.
So, with Alonso set to arrive as Chelsea’s new manager on July 1, which signing would be the best for him, BlueCo and the club itself? We rank the four possible signings based on quality, and their fit.
Ranking the four left-backs on Chelsea’s summer radar
4. Maxi Araujo (Sporting Lisbon) – 3/10
If Alonso wants to play a 3-4-2-1 system, Araujo could be a great signing. Chelsea made initial enquiries to sign the Sporting Lisbon defender, and Araujo scored for Uruguay in their opening World Cup game.
But Araujo is much more focused on scoring goals and creating them. Albeit very good at that, his attacking style suits a Sporting side largely dominant in Portugal. Not a mid-table Chelsea outfit.
If Chelsea want a winger on the left flank, Araujo may fit the bill. But as a full-back or even a wing-back, he is far too attacking as Cucurella’s replacement. Cheap at £35m, but not the perfect for Chelsea.
3. Lewis Hall (Newcastle United) – 6/10
Gary Lineker recently said Hall is England’s best left-back. He has coped best with Lamine Yamal of all the times he has watched Barcelona’s teenage superstar. Yet, Hall was not picked by Thomas Tuchel.
In terms of a move to Chelsea, Hall certainly fits the bill. As said, there are murmurs that he could look to leave Newcastle in the coming months, and he would hand Chelsea another option from set-pieces.
On the pitch, it gets a big tick. Off of it, he does too given he came through the ranks at Chelsea. But Hall is likely to be the most expensive of all four; BlueCo would have to admit a mistake to bring him back.
Alonso likes his full-backs to play an inverted role and his 80.2% passing rate in the Premier League last season suggests he lacks that elite-level passing Chelsea require from their full-backs, if inverted.
2. Alvaro Carreras (Real Madrid) – 7/10
Defensively sound, hard-working and Alonso has worked with him at Real Madrid. This one would make more sense than both Hall and Araujo, and Cucurella’s arrival at Madrid may push him towards an exit.
However, Jose Mourinho is likely to want to keep Carreras with reports indicating that Ferland Mendy is likely to be the player that makes way. His 3.6 tackles and interceptions per 90 last season is impressive.
But it is off the pitch that makes this deal less likely. Madrid are unlikely to want to sell to Alonso at Chelsea, Mourinho is hardly going to sell Carreras to Chelsea. But on the pitch, he is a perfect fit.
1. Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus) – 10/10
This is the one that makes sense for all combined. Juventus need to sell players this summer after missing out on the Champions League. After rejecting £56m from Man City last summer, they will sell now.
Who would you sign to replace Marc Cucurella? 🫵
Andrea Cambiaso is the latest player to be linked.
Cambiaso is the perfect mix of attacking quality and defensive stability. His crossing is exceptional and at £35m, he is cheap. Rafa Benitez is a massive fan of Cambiaso, explaining he is perfect for Dusan Vlahovic.
Under Thiago Motta at Juventus, Cambiaso played as a left-back, a wing-back and a midfielder. That versatility is excellent, also proving he can play as an inverted full-back. Cambiaso is the perfect signing.
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