Chelsea could enter the transfer market in the summer to sign a new left-back.
It has been a bit of a problem area for Mauricio Pochettino this season for multiple reasons.
Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella have both picked up injuries in the current campaign, while the Argentine no longer has Ian Maatsen to call upon following his loan move to Borussia Dortmund in January.
When everyone has been fit and available, Pochettino has actually used central defender Levi Colwill at left-back, so not everything looks perfect there at the moment.
Regarding who Chelsea could sign, then, the Blues have been linked with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Rayan Ait-Nouri and Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez.
Chelsea undecided on Rayan Ait-Nouri
While Chelsea may hold an interest in Ait-Nouri, journalist Ben Jacobs says it is too early to know whether the club will actually make a move for him or not.
Discussing the 22-year-old in his column for CaughtOffside, he said: “Wolves’ Rayan Ait-Nouri is going to be in demand this summer, but it’s still too early to tell if Chelsea will move.”
Ait-Nouri has been a vital player for Wolves this season, making almost 30 appearances under Gary O’Neil.
He played in both of Wolves’ victories against Chelsea in the current campaign, forcing Axel Disasi to turn the ball into his own net in his side’s 4-2 win at Stamford Bridge.
Rayan Ait-Nouri could replace Marc Cucurella
Ait-Nouri arriving at Chelsea could pave the way for Cucurella to leave west London this summer.
It is being reported that the Blues want to sell him in the upcoming transfer window, and another left-back like Ait-Nouri joining the club could persuade the Spaniard to depart Pochettino’s squad in search of guaranteed game time.
Going forward, Ait-Nouri could be quite the upgrade on Cucurella. For example, the Algeria international has ranked in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons among full-backs over the last year (FBref), which is really impressive.
Cucurella, on the other hand, ranks in the second percentile, so there is much work for him to do in that area.
Maybe Chelsea supporters will see a scenario where the club sign Ait-Nouri but also keep hold of Cucurella, though. Because of Chilwell’s persistent injury problems, the Blues may see little point in buying the former but letting go of the latter.
The Stamford Bridge faithful can certainly expect movement in the left-back area this summer, then. A fresh face, perhaps Ait-Nouri, could come in, while Cucurella being shipped out is not a possibility that can be ruled out.
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