Craig Burley thinks Chelsea would be better off signing Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt over Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly amid reported interest in both this summer.
The Blues are linked with an array of talented centre-halves in this transfer window, including the aforementioned duo.
Thomas Tuchel’s side are apparently in pursuit of 22-year-old star De Ligt. It’s been claimed Chelsea have opened talks about the Juventus star and could look to offer Christian Pulisic in a swap deal.
Meanwhile, the London club have reportedly already made contact with the agent of 31-year-old Napoli ace Koulibaly.
De Ligt over Koulibaly
ESPN pundit Burley suggests Chelsea’s best route would be to sign the younger of the two defensive targets.
He’s an admirer of Napoli centre-back Koulibaly, who’s got all the physical attributes to be a hit in English football. However, he’s leaning towards more of a long-term investment in Dutch sensation De Ligt.
“A very good defender, a big, powerful guy, with a lot of experience,” Burley told ESPN when discussing Koulibaly.
He added: “On the other side of the coin, although De Ligt has a lot of experience, going in there alongside Thiago Silva will be invaluable. I think ultimately he would be the better long-term signing for Chelsea if they could get it done.”
Chelsea’s repeated links to signing wingers in this window has resulted in fans speculating Thomas Tuchel may change to a back four system next season. If so, it’ll be interesting to see what the preferred starting centre-back partnership will be.
It would be great to have a place with some pace and athleticism to start alongside quality Brazilian veteran Thiago Silva.
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