da roleta： If you were to ask Chelsea fans which position of the team is the weakest, a good number would point to the defence.
da imperador bet： After all, Enzo Maresca’s side have scored the second most goals in the Premier League this season, but six teams have conceded fewer goals.
However, to be more specific, the issue is not with the club’s world-class full-back options, but at centre-back, where the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah have underwhelmed.
It seems the board are also dissatisfied with the work of their centre-backs, as reports have linked Chelsea with an international icon who could outright replace both of them by next season.
Chelsea target Tosin & Chalobah upgrade
With the transfer window starting to come back into view, more and more reports are linking Chelsea with potential signings.
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The likes of the in-form Marcus Rashford and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton have been touted for moves to West London in the last week or so.
However, while the pair of them would certainly improve Maresca’s squad, they wouldn’t be upgrades on Tosin or Chalobah, unlike Antonio Rüdiger.
Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are interested in signing their former defender, who left the club for Real Madrid in 2022.
More than that, the report has revealed that the Blues have already made an offer of around €8m, which is about £7m.
However, while Los Blancos are open to the German leaving as soon as January, they have turned down the offer, deeming it to be too low.
Fortunately, as the 32-year-old’s contract is set to expire in the summer, there is a good chance the two sides will be able to come to a reasonable agreement.
It would be a surprising move, but one Chelsea should follow through with, even if Rüdiger’s return would likely be bad news for Tosin and Chalobah.
Why Rüdiger would spell the end for Tosin and Chalobah
So the first thing to say is that neither Tosin nor Chalobah is a bad defender. In fact, the pair of them are more than serviceable Premier League players who have the track record to prove it.
However, while that might make them perfect players for sides like Fulham, Crystal Palace or even Everton, it’s not enough to see them start regularly for a club the size of Chelsea.
Playing for the Blues means every little mistake, misplaced pass, lapse in concentration is magnified tenfold and can be particularly costly in the pursuit of titles and trophies.
This is why Maresca needs a player like Rüdiger in his squad and why he would ultimately spell the end for the pair of them, as he is a centre-back who has been there, done it and won practically all there is to win.
During his time in West London, for example, he started ten of the club’s 12 games in their triumphant Champions League campaign in 20/21, and just a few years before that was just as vital in their FA Cup victory.
Since then, he has won another UCL title with Real, a La Liga title and a Copa Del Rey, while being called “the best defender in the world” by former teammate Mesut Özil.
Moreover, while he’s barely played this season, that is mostly down to injury, as across all competitions last year, he made 55 appearances, totalling 4539 minutes.
The Berlin-born titan is also still an important part of the national team, amassing 81 senior caps, in which he’s even scored three goals and provided five assists.
Appearances
55
Starts
50
Minutes
4539′
Goals
3
Assists
1
Points per Game
2.11
Finally, another important reason the 6 foot 3 monster would be an excellent signing for the Blues is that he’d be an incredible mentor for both Levi Colwill and Josh Acheampong.
In other words, the former Chelsea star could come back and help create the club’s future centre-back partnership.
Ultimately, if Rüdiger returns to Stamford Bridge in January, it would be brilliant for the club, but it would likely signal the end of both Chalobah and Tosin’s time getting regular minutes.
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