In 2026, central defence is one area of Enzo Maresca’s squad that Chelsea could strengthen.
It has already been reported that Chelsea want to sign an experienced centre-back in the new year, though that may not happen until the summer.
Whether the Blues act in January or July, the likelihood is that they will have to sell at least one of their current central defenders first.
SCENARIO: You are one of Chelsea’s sporting directors and Todd Boehly has given you £60m to spend in January. Who are you signing?
Your potential shortlist could include:
Kobbie Mainoo
Mike Maignan
Marc Guehi
Todd Boehly and Paul Winstanley during Chelsea and Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
The Chelsea Chronicle has asked its readers whom they would be willing to sacrifice in order to facilitate the arrival of a new centre-half.
Tosin Adarabioyo of Chelsea warms up prior to the Premier League match between Leeds United and Chelsea
Photo by Chelsea Football Club/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Chelsea fans want Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo gone
Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo have both made costly mistakes this season, which are not being ignored.
On TalkingPoints, several Chelsea supporters called for the duo to be sold to make room for a new name.
Chrisjpace said: “Tosin and Benoit need to be sold and the money used on an established class defender.”
Arabinwjs stated: “Has to be between Benoit, Tosin.”
Rossiozoemenam posted: “Benoit Badiashile and Tosin Adarabioyo are the weakest link in that defence… they should go.”
TCC regular philchristie1955 also wants Badiashile and Adarabioyo to be offloaded, simply replying with “Tosin and Badiashile”.
Fadairotunji cannot believe Badiashile is actually still at the club! “I don’t know what Badiashile is still doing in Chelsea. He is minus to the team.”
Davidprior really did not hold back when discussing the duo, he said: “Badiashile and Tosin should be nowhere near the squad.”
If you want to have your say, you can do so by commenting below:
Chelsea need to make room before they can sign another centre-back. Who are you getting rid of?
Levi Colwill is definitely untouchable ❌
Chelsea’s list of first-team centre-backs
Levi Colwill
Wesley Fofana
Trevoh Chalobah
Benoit Badiashile
Tosin Adarabioyo
Josh Acheampong
Trevoh Chalobah of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's goal with teammate Wesley Fofana
Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
👇 Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say
Clearly, Badiashile and Adarabioyo are not the two most popular figures at Stamford Bridge right now, with the former costing Chelsea last Saturday with a bad pass during their 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa.
Benoit Badiashile of Chelsea battles for possession with Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa
Photo by Chris Lee – Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Enzo Maresca’s preferred centre-back partnership
Badiashile and Adarabioyo are unlikely ever to be regular starters at Chelsea. When Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana are both fit, you would expect that to be Maresca’s first-choice centre-half pairing, though not even that is guaranteed if the Blues sign a new central defender.
For now, though, Maresca would rather go with Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah.
When Maresca spoke about Fofana and Chalobah after Chelsea’s 0-0 draw with Bournemouth earlier this month, he claimed they are his best centre-back partnership at this moment in time.
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