It is no secret that Chelsea have struggled in the left-sided centre-back position this season whilst Levi Colwill remains out injured with an ACL tear.
Benoit Badiashile started against Aston Villa last time out in the Premier League, and it was his poor pass out from the back that sparked the Villans move that ended with Ollie Watkins making it 1-1.
Badiashile
Since the start of last season, the French defender has made three errors leading to shots or goals for the opposition in six Premier League starts, per Sofascore, which speaks to how error-prone he has been at the back.
With the likes of Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Josh Acheampong also in the squad, signing another centre-back could allow the club to finally part ways with the left-footed flop.
Chelsea plotting move for Premier League defender
Marseille were reportedly interested in signing Badiashile in the summer, and the club could test the water to see who would be interested in him next month if they are able to secure their reported target.
According to Football Insider, Chelsea have joined the race to sign Crystal Palace central defender Marc Guehi to bolster their options at the back.
The report claims that Enzo Maresca is plotting a swoop to bring the England international, who came up through the Cobham ranks, back to Stamford Bridge in 2026.
Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi
It adds that the Blues have the financial power to blow their rivals out of the water in the race for his signature, as they look to snap him up on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Football Insider reveals that Guehi wants to remain at Palace until his contract expires next summer, at which point Chelsea, Man City, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Real Madrid are said to be keen to sign him.
Why signing Guehi would be bad news for Badiashile
Chelsea signing the England international, whether it happens next month or in the summer, would be bad news for Badiashile because the report claims that they want him to slot straight into the starting XI.
Chelsea defender Benoit Badiashile
That means that there would be yet another player between the Frenchman and regular game time, having already started just six league matches since the start of last season.
Game time would, therefore, be even more limited for Badiashile, as it already should be after his costly error against Villa, and that could force Chelsea and the player himself to consider a transfer away from Stamford Bridge.
Guehi's performances for Crystal Palace in the Premier League this season also back up the thought that he would come in and take more minutes away from the ex-Monaco man, as he has been in impressive form.
The 25-year-old star has only made one error that led to a goal in 51 appearances in the Premier League since the start of last season, per Sofascore, whilst Badiashile has already made one in just five games this term.
25/26 Premier League Badiashile Guehi
Appearances 5 17
Tackles + interceptions per game 1.6 2.7
Clearances per game 2.0 5.2
Ground duel success rate 50% 62%
Aerial duel success rate 60% 69%
Duels won per game 1.4 5.5
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Guehi has also been far more impressive than the Chelsea flop in his general defensive displays, winning a much higher percentage of his duels on the deck and in the air.
These statistics suggest that the English star, once described as a "monster" by journalist Bobby Manzi, would come through the door as a significant upgrade on Badiashile in the left-sided centre-back position for Maresca, solving his current woes.
marc-guehi-crystal-palace
The 25-year-old defensive enforcer could be the backbone of Chelsea's side for many years to come, given his age, Premier League experience, and proven quality, which is why he could be a terrific signing.
It would also be a piece of business that would allow the Blues to finally part ways with Badiashile, who is already a bit-part player with the current level of competition in his position, if there are any clubs willing to sign him in January or next summer.
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