If it wasn’t clear before Sunday’s defeat to Manchester City, Chelsea’s priority this summer has got to be sorting out their centre-back options. Reports now claim they’ve picked their first-choice duo.
Despite boasting 10 senior centre-backs, including loanees Axel Disasi and Aaron Anselmino, Chelsea started with left-back Jorrel Hato in the middle of a back-four defence with Wesley Fofana on Sunday.
One of many problems on the pitch at the moment 🤦♂️
Chelsea's Wesley Fofana
Photo by Chelsea Football Club/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, and Trevoh Chalobah remain injured, while Mamadou Sarr and Josh Acheampong were overlooked for Hato, as was Tosin Adarabioyo. Hato got the nod at centre-back.
Some will have to be sold, with Chelsea supposedly open to selling Tosin, Badiashile and Chalobah. Now, it is claimed that Chelsea have picked the two central defenders they want to start ahead of next season.
One new signing, one returning Chelsea favourite
It will come as no surprise to Chelsea fans that the club has earmarked Colwill as one of the two first-choice options in the middle of the back line. The England international is closing on an injury return.
Nico O’Reilly’s header was the 12th Premier League goal Chelsea have conceded from a cross this season, both in open play and from set-pieces. With Colwill at the back, the chance of that happening reduces.
Marcos Senesi of AFC Bournemouth
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
But according to TalkSPORT, none of the other nine names are adequate enough to partner Colwill on a regular basis. Indeed, the report states that Chelsea want to partner Colwill with defender Marcos Senesi.
Senesi will be a free agent this summer after agreeing not to leave Bournemouth in January. Chelsea drew up a three-man list of defenders in January, with Senesi listed next to Jeremy Jacquet and Jacobo Ramon.
Which other defenders have been linked with Chelsea?
Following the January window, Jacquet will become a Liverpool player after choosing Anfield over West London. Arsenal are said to be leading Chelsea in the race for Cesc Fabregas’ Como star Jacobo Ramon.
What is Chelsea’s best centre-back partnership?
Fofana and Hato couldn't stop City.
Since then, Chelsea have been linked with a handful of defenders. The one that arguably sticks out, other than Senesi, is AC Milan centre-back Strahinja Pavlovic, with the Serbian ace in excellent Milan form.
There is also Werder Bremen’s Karim Coulibaly, but that one feels like a signing more for the future – a tactic that has earned plenty of criticism. Charlie Austin believes Chelsea should sign Antonio Rudiger.
Plenty more names are expected to crop up over the next few weeks and months, but Senesi is said to want a decision made as soon as possible. A move to Chelsea will surely appeal to the Bournemouth ace.
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