Chelsea are now front-runners in the race to sign an “incredible” new defender and are eyeing a move in January if they are prepared to pay at least €30 million ($26 million).
Blues aim to strengthen defense amid criticism of Richards
The Blues moved up to fifth place in the Premier League table with a 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest at the weekend, but Micah Richards was less than impressed with their overall performance.
In the second half, the pundit told BBC Sport: “Chelsea are terrible at the back. They haven’t kept a clean sheet in the Premier League since August. You know something is wrong, they’re making too many mistakes.
“Forest are in better form than ever and are getting some clear chances, but I’m worried for them that when Chelsea take the lead, they miss those chances and they’ll fight back.”
In the end, the three points matter most, but manager Enzo Maresca may be a little concerned that his side created too many chances for Forest, with the home side squandering four big chances and hitting the woodwork.
According to a report from Caught Offside, Chelsea are in the race to sign a new defender, with Strasbourg’s Guerra Douai revealed to be the frontrunners for the signing, with a move likely to arrive as early as the January transfer window.
The French side are planning to cash in on a fee in excess of €30m (£26m) given his importance to the team, which is an affordable amount for the Blues, and the fact that both clubs are under BlueCo ownership could perhaps make any arrangement easier.
Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford are also interested in Doue, who is currently under contract until 2029, but the west Londoners are currently in the best position to seal a deal.
‘Incredible’ Doue will be a versatile option for Maresca
The 23-year-old, who is the younger brother of Paris Saint-Germain star Desir Douet, can play at both right-back and centre-back, meaning he is a versatile option for Maresca, with the defender showing the ability to contribute up front this season.
In fact, the Angers-born ace has one goal and two assists in four Ligue 1 games, while regularly displaying his passing and defensive flair over the past year, ranking in the highest percentile for several metrics compared to other full-backs.
statistics | Average around 90 |
clearance | 4.95 (99th percentile) |
aerial won | 1.97 (97th percentile) |
Number of pass attempts | 66.67 (90th percentile) |
progressive path | 6.32 (93rd percentile) |
Douai, who was praised by Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior for his “incredible personality”, could be a solid addition to Chelsea, who are short on options due to injuries to Levi Colwill and Benoît Badiashile and need to improve their defensive depth.
