It has been a frustrating summer window for Chelsea so far. The World Cup continues to play havoc for Xabi Alonso, and one potential signing has just seen his price tag rapidly increase.
Only Marco Palestra has been added so far, and while an exciting signing, Xabi Alonso will have hoped for more by the time pre-season starts. On the other side of London, Tottenham have made six big signings.
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Chelsea have only moved two players on permanently at this stage, though Tyrique George looks set to become the third for an initial £18m. Plenty need to be offloaded, and plenty more need to be signed.
Chelsea need to sort out their goalkeeping options, add a centre-back with Maxence Lacroix talks still ongoing, a replacement for Marc Cucurella, a midfielder, a left-winger, and competition for Joao Pedro.
One signing Chelsea have been linked with, and continue to be touted for, would cover three different positions that Alonso needs to strengthen. But the player’s agent has warned Chelsea he will cost plenty.
Maxi Araujo’s agent comments, but Chelsea should move anyway
Sporting Lisbon star Maxi Araujo has been linked with Chelsea for a while. The Blues are believed to be in talks with Rayo Vallecano’s Pep Chavarria, but news surrounding Chelsea’s move for him has died down.
Araujo has starred in a poor Uruguay side at the World Cup, finishing the tournament as his country’s top scorer with two goals. It comes off the back of a brilliant season with Sporting in Portugal’s top division.
The World Cup is the biggest stage, and selling clubs know that a good performance means a bigger price tag. Araujo slots into that category, with initial reports suggesting Chelsea would have to pay £35m.
Araujo’s agent Martin Rodríguez Nader was quoted by Portuguese outlet Record this week: “Great both in the league and in the Champions League. Now he needed to show himself at the World Cup.
“The bigger the challenge, the more up to it he is. When a player stands out at Sporting, it’s not easy to take him away. That’s the case with Maxi. Sporting has a lot of money and doesn’t sell cheaply.
“There are only 20 or 30 teams that can get Maxi: Premier League teams and two or three others. It’s unlikely Maxi will end up at a club other than those, with what he’s looking for, what we’re aiming for.”
Chelsea and Man United are linked again in the Record report. Given his World Cup form, if Chelsea want to sign Araujo, it will cost more than the initial £35m fee. But Chelsea need to do it anyway this summer.
Why Chelsea need Maxi Araujo even if he will cost a fortune
Of course, Chelsea need a left-back. Cucurella has left, and it leaves a gaping hole on the left. Chelsea also could do with a left-sided winger, with Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens both struggling last season.
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But the real reason Chelsea need Araujo is that he provides cover for three positions: left-back, wing-back, and left-wing. He starred for Uruguay playing on the left of a front three, but left-back at Sporting.
This is a player that sorts out Alonso’s left flank and helps the Spaniard breathe a sigh of relief. Yes, Araujo might be expensive. But his left-sided versatility saves Chelsea having to buy two players, instead of one.
Forget the price tag, Chelsea need Araujo. A tenacious left-sided star coming into the peak years of his career that can give Alonso an option anywhere on the left; he’s worth every penny, whatever the fee.
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