The transfer window is well under way, and with only two weeks left of the summer break until the new Premier League season kicks off, English teams will be frantically looking for ways to improve their squads. One such team that has fully thrown themselves into the chaos is West London club Chelsea FC. With new found owners looking to make an impact on their new team, they’ve come out firing. American businessman Todd Boehly has come in and set a precedent for good negation tactics by locating club targets and tabling substantial offers to selling clubs. However, due to sanctions that stopped the club from doing any form of progressive business, he had to arrived late to the party. But that hasn’t stopped him from securing the signatures of two top signings in serial winner Raheem Sterling, and mountain of a defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
Yet his business is far from complete. With just over a month left of this current transfer window remaining, it’s reported that as many as 4 more signings could come through the door. Pair this with a litany of outgoings and it seems like there is a monumental task at hand. And these transfers are becoming more and more required by the day. After this weekends shocking 4-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Florida Cup, exasperated German manager Thomas Tuchel reiterated his desire for new signings, and that his club may struggle to acclimatise and compete in this new season should he not be given any fresh meat.
Chelsea finished a respectable 3rd place last term. But they were well off the pace of their northern rivals Liverpool and Manchester City. Both teams have coincidently spent big this summer with the idea of widening the gap even further at the top. And as previously mentioned with the sanctions, Chelsea started behind everyone in the first place. And the departure of two vitally important centre backs in Antonio Rüdiger and Andreas Christensen hasn’t helped the matter. Therefore bringing in reinforcements at the back is essential for the Blues success. The signature of Koulibaly from Napoli for a reported fee of £34million is a good start, but manager Tuchel has expressed a need for at least one or two more players at the back.
Players such as PSGs Presnel Kimpembe and Juventus’ Matthijs De Ligt were rumoured to be targets, but no player has been reported to link up with the Blues more than French international Jules Koundé. Now at time of writing I cannot completely rule out the signing of Koundé to Chelsea, but the situation appears to be heading towards the conclusion that he’ll join up with Seville’s Spanish rivals Barcelona. The Catalan club, though in a serious amount of debt, have somehow come into a wealth of money, and they seem hellbent on spending it.
Koundé would have been a perfect signing for Thomas Tuchel’s side. Still only 23 and already with a wealth of experience behind him, he would have slotted seamlessly into the back three alongside the aforementioned Koulibaly and the ever present Thiago Silva. The youngster is supremely talented, and though short for the position, only 5ft10, he boasts fantastic athleticism and defensive awareness that would be the envy of the most savvy veteran. But the club need to move on and look at some potential alternatives that could make a similar impact at Stamford Bridge next season.
Evan N’Dicka – Eintracht Frankfurt (22 y/o)
We start with an incredibly promising Frenchman coming out of Germany. After a very impressive 21/22 season where the youngster found himself awarded a spot in the Bundesliga team of the season, he has found himself the target of many European clubs. AC Milan and Spurs have been the most recent clubs circling the player, and it’s reported that a bid of as little as £30million could be enough to land him. With his contract set to expire next summer, negotiations for the player should be fairly straight forward.
In terms of his play style, he’s a very athletically gifted player with great intangibles to be a top premier league centre back. At 6ft4 he is dominant in the air, N’Dicka wins roughly 4.33 aerial duels per 90, which is more than physical monsters such as Van Dijk (4.02) and Harry Maguire (3.63). As well as having the strength to push off opposition attackers, he also has great pace that allows him to track runs and mix that with his already advanced game IQ, he can get himself into the right positions to make plays on the ball in threatening areas. At such a young age, he certainly isn’t afraid to get stuck in, and the player makes 4.16 tackles a game, which is more than Chelsea mainstay Thiago Silva (3.15).
As a player who has been utilised as a fullback in the past, N’Dicka also has the ability to impact the game further up the pitch. He is comfortable on the ball, and has become accustomed to finding the right pass in tight areas. Mix that with his aerial ability and he becomes a player that can contribute to goals in a team that is currently lacking goal scorers. The French youth international contributed to 4 goals and 4 assists in the Bundesliga last term, which was the most contributions by a centre back in the league. His impressive performance in front of goal, and subsequently protecting his own earned himself a 7.06 average whoscored rating. Any rating above a 7 is considered an elite rating by the scoring metric.
N’Dicka could fit seamlessly into this Chelsea side. At only 22 he won’t necessarily command to start every game, but he has the experience to help the Blues when facing top competition. Evan already has European experience, as he helped Frankfurt to win the Europa league this past year. N’Dicka has the ability to play across the back line but would likely find his home on the left hand side of the back three. Add in the fact that he’s left footed, and he’ll look to be a nice complementary piece alongside Silva and Koulibaly.
Maxence Lacroix – Wolfsburg (22 y/o)
Time to turn our attentions away to another young Frenchman plying his trade in Germany. Lacroix is a somewhat raw talent who has all the physical tools to become a top defender at the highest level. At 6ft3 he has a rare blend of size and speed that makes him a nightmare for opposition attackers. Regular FIFA 22 players will attest to how dominant he is in game. And in real life those statistics do translate. He is rarely beaten for pace, and any team playing a high line would love to have a player of Lacroix’s ability in their defence. Maxence has played 72 times for Wolfsburg across the past two season since his move from Sochaux in 2020.
Although Lacroix’s athleticism is a major part of his game, he is far from a one trick pony. He is very comfortable on the ball and likes to progress the ball fast and often. He completes 0.92 dribbles per 90 and completes 3.03 progressive passes. These numbers are comparable to ex Chelsea star Antonio Rüdiger, who was excellent at making driving runs through the middle of the pitch. Another facet to Lacroix’s game that is greatly utilised is his ability to anticipate the play. He is often in the right position when the ball is whipped in from attackers. He completed 4.04 interceptions per game last year, which topped the Bundesliga interception charts for a defender. He also clears the ball with his head frequently and dominates the opposition. He wins roughly 3.36 contested headers a game, which is more than Manchester United star Varane (3.09), and Newcastle’s big money acquisition Sven Botman (3.00).
All of these strengths are a major selling point in his game, but it would also be worth mentioning some of his drawbacks. He can often be very rash in the tackle, and this led to him receiving 3 red cards in the league last year. His temper will be one thing that Thomas Tuchel would have to learn to cool if this transfer materialised. He also has a tendency to be sloppy with his passes. At the back last term he only completed 81% of his passes, which ranked in the bottom quarter of all Bundesliga centre backs. And in Tuchel’s heavy possession based football, this must improve. But in terms of a fit for Chelsea, I can still see this being a major hit. He could be available for as little as £30 million, and considering his pace, he’d partner up well with the much more pedestrian 37 year old Thiago Silva.
Milan Škriniar – Inter Milan (27 y/o)
Not many players have been as dominant defensively over the past few years than Slovakian Milan Škriniar. The 27 year old defender has been an integral piece to the Nerazzurri side since his move from Sampdoria 5 years ago. A towering 6ft2 figure at the heart of the team, Škriniar consistently dominates his opponents and conducts the game from the back. At 27 he has a wealth of experience to call upon and his quality play helped his side win the Serie A title in 20/21. As well as this he’s a fully fledged international with 54 caps for Slovakia. His overall play and leadership skills have earned him the captaincy for his country.
Where Milan (aptly named) excels is with his back to his goal. A very intelligent player, he expertly tracks dangerous runs and fills in spots in the defence before any attacks develop. With his large frame, he’s a physical imposing player at the back who is dominant in the air and very strong in the tackle. Playing against larger opponents like Romelu Lukaku in training every day has helped him to handle all types of opposition. As well as being a good defender (which is obviously important), it’s his work in the build up that sets him apart from his counterparts. Displaying a 93% pass completion rate just highlights his ability to be smart on the ball and keep the possession ticking. Passing ability for centre backs has been a key component for Thomas Tuchel defenders, and those that can’t keep hold of possession usually don’t last long in the starting eleven.
As an option for Chelsea, it seems like a no brainier. The player would come in as an instant starter with a wealth of experience and a know how of how to win games. An important point is that he has prior minutes playing in a back three. The Slovakian was an influential piece under Antonio Conte’s defensive Inter team that won the title, and he’s improved his game playing alongside other top quality defenders such as De Vrij and Bastoni. And having previously played in the Champions League, he’s not shied away when playing world class opponents. The only stumbling block that could be perceived with this transfer is the price tag. Škriniar as previously mentioned is the linchpin in that Inter side, and in any normal circumstance, the Italian side wouldn’t look to part with their top asset. However, there is a glimmer of hope. It has been reported that the Milan side need to recoup funds, otherwise they could be in some financial difficulty. And considering Škriniar only has one year left on his deal, they may want to make a quick buck before he potentially leaves for free next summer. The fee reported is in the region of £70million, which on first glance is a lot, but for a genuinely world class player who could perform at the top level for five years, it’s smart business.
Lucas Hernandez – Bayern Munich (26 y/o)
Time for a bit of a left field shout. Lucas Hernandez signed for Bayern Munich in 2019 from Spanish giants Athletico Madrid for a whopping £70million fee. In the three years since, he’s only played a paltry 67 league games and will likely struggle to find more minutes now that Matthijs De Ligt has signed from Juventus. However, when he first signed for The Bavarians, there was clear signs of potential, and still only 26, there looks like there’s still room for improvement. Yet that being said, even though his minutes on the pitch have been limited, he’s still shown signs that he is a top class player. He’s played 32 times in a very strong France side, and he has all the accolades to show for it. The combative defender has won both the Champions League and World Cup (now that’s quite the trophy cabinet). And one thing that allures managers to the player is his ability to play in multiple positions across the back line. Though Hernandez plays primarily as a central defender, he can deputise the left back spot to a high level. Last term he played 24 games down the middle and 7 on the left hand side.
At only 6ft he’s not the most imposing centre back, but we’ve in recent years that smaller, yet technical centre halves have been able to find a lot of success. Last year we saw a 5ft11 David Alaba shine at the heart of the Real Madrid defence. And in recent years we’ve seen how dominant a 6ft Thiago Silva can be. Despite his size he’s very happy to throw himself into the action. The player records 2.7 tackles per 90 which is more than both Antonio Rüdiger (1.56) and Chelsea target Jules Koundé (1.18). As a defender Hernandez does like to put in a challenge, but he also has he tendency to be rash. The player received 7 yellow cards in just 25 league games last term, which is definitely a statistic that any coach will look to manage out of his game. As well as his defensive responsibilities, he’s very good going forward and often his first thought is to get his head up and progress the play. An ability highly touted after by attacking and possession based managers. Hernandez completes 7.23 progressive passes and 7.51 progressive carries per game, which is the highest rate amongst all Bundesliga centre backs.
Though the player clearly does have his setbacks, there are a lot of positives to hone in on. You have to allow for the fat that he’s not the most physical defender, but pairing him with Koulibaly and Silva should help mitigate those issues. And considering he’s a very progressive defender, that should helpfully help speed up Chelsea’s very pedestrian build up play. With only two years left on his contract he could be available for as little as 40-50 million. And with Bayern having a multitude of top quality centre backs including De Ligt, Upamecano, Pavard and Nianzou, Hernandez may be looking for opportunities elsewhere.
Edmond Tapsoba – Bayern Leverkusen (23 y/o)
Every time I’ve seen Tapsoba play I’ve just been amazed at how fast and strong he is. He covers up ground with ease, and is rarely bullied by attackers in a very physical league. He particularly showed off his skillet during the most recent addition of the African Cup of Nations where he was added to the team of the tournament. At only 23 years of age he already plays as someone well beyond his years and plays very comfortably at the back. Whether that’s with the ball or without. He also had a very respectable season for Leverkusen in the Bundesliga where he averaged a whoscored rating of 6.84.
Tapsoba is one of those players who is a nightmare to play against, he’s incredibly strong to go up against and is rarely dribbled past due to his great combo of speed and strength. And his high end game IQ allows him to get into positions where teams struggle to pass through him. And when on the ball himself, he is very assured and safe with the ball. He completes roughly 89% of his passes, which is marginally higher than Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta (84.1) and Spurs star Christian Romero (87.4).
Still only 23 years of age, Tapsoba has time to refine his game, and its not likely that his physical attributes will slow down any time soon. And pairing him with someone like Thiago Silva who no longer has the legs to follow runners in behind, they’ll compliment each other quite well. And considering that his contract doesn’t run out until summer 2026, it is reported that he could be available for as little as £40million. And with teams like Arsenal circling the player, it would be smart for he Blues to move in soon if they want the chance of snagging a player who could be at the top of his position for the next decade!
Forgotten Footballers 