Chelsea make £35m star ‘strong candidate’ for Rosenior

Chelsea have made signing a centre-back a top priority now that Liam Rosenior is firmly established as manager at Stamford Bridge.

There is a sense that the Blues are dissatisfied with their wide range of attacking options, which was highlighted during the Festival period with an inquiry being lodged against Bournemouth keeper Antoine Semenyo, who signed from Manchester City.

But a five-game winless run in the Premier League speaks to the west Londoner’s need for more stability in the back. With Levi Colwill still out for an extended period of time, the rearguard is an area to focus on in the final weeks of the January transfer window.

How does Chelsea plan to strengthen their defense?

Chelsea have never been considered favorites in the race to sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehy, who is believed to be on the verge of a winter move to Man City.

Guehi is not the only talented centre-half on the market, but he comes from Chelsea’s Cobham academy and has spearheaded Oliver Glasner’s trophy-winning spell at Selhurst Park. If Chelsea need a fallback, they need to make sure they hit the jackpot.

With that in mind, the Telegraph’s Matt Law admitted that a new centre-back is definitely at the top of Chelsea’s wish list, with Jeremy Jaquet at the top of Bruko’s assessment.

Insider Simon Phillips confirmed this, confirming that the young Frenchman is a “strong candidate” to join the London squad.

Jacquet, 20, has been in impressive form for Rennes since breaking out of Ligue 1’s youth set-up, and while his £35m fee is a hefty sum, it will only get bigger as he continues to make waves in the coming years, with further interest from Arsenal and Liverpool.

Why Jacket could be Chelsea’s biggest hit

Although Jaquet is young, he has played with great maturity and intelligence in the first few years of his professional career, with analyst Ben Mattinson suggesting he has the potential to be a “top five centre-back in the world”.

His expectations are surprising, especially for someone so inexperienced. According to FBref, Jaquet ranks in the top 15% of centre-backs across Europe in tackles won and in the top 5% in interceptions per 90, which speaks volumes about his ability to read the game like a scholar and apply that knowledge to make the right decisions at the right time.

Given that coolness, this could be Guehi 2.0, a player Chelsea should still be unhappy about selling to Crystal Palace for £18m in 2021.

In fact, if we look at the individual metrics of defenders in their respective divisions this season, it is clear that Jacquet is emulating one of the best players in the Premier League, matching him in recovery, defensive contribution and duel success rate while controlling the ball.

Chelsea have plenty of options at their disposal, but Rosenior’s side likely lack the quality needed to solidify their backline and close the gap on rivals Arsenal at the top.

Of course, the Gunners are intent on signing Rennes’ prized defender, so it’s clear that Chelsea could hit the jackpot by signing a player they deem fit for Mikel Arteta’s backline role.

According to talent scout Jacek Kulig, Jacquet is a promising player who has also emerged as a mainstay in Rennes’ strong backline. The French team is in sixth place in the standings, just two points behind Marseille in third place.

Imagine how much progress he will have made in five years. He is expected to be the core of Chelsea’s defense and serve as the foundation of a team that has won multiple titles.