Chelsea have been on a poor run of kind in current weeks, securing simply six factors from a potential 21 factors throughout their final seven video games. This run has included losses to the likes of Ipswich City, Fulham and Manchester Metropolis, in addition to attracts in opposition to Everton, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth.
This dangerous run of outcomes has coincided with the lack of two key central defenders in December, with Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile each happening injured.
Levi Colwill had been partnered by Fofana for a lot of the season main into the festive break, which noticed the Blues sitting second within the Premier League.
However Enzo Maresca’s aspect have struggled after shedding Fofana and Badiashile, who seemed to be the following in line to accomplice Colwill.
This might have the Blues administrators on crimson alert, as this massive drop in kind has derailed their season, and a defensive answer will probably be excessive on their listing, whether or not that comes this month or in the summertime.
Chelsea Premier League defender
In response to reviews from Fabrizio Romano, Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is known to have a launch clause in his contract, which is able to develop into legitimate from the summer time of 2025.
It is additional revealed that Chelsea are stated to “actually admire” Huijsen, and he’s excessive on their listing of potential targets on the again.
Switch Focus
Mega cash offers, controversial strikes and big-name flops. That is the house of switch information and opinion throughout Soccer FanCast.
Bayern Munich have additionally requested to learn on the 19-year-old, who might face loads of competitors for the Spanish central defender come the summer time, after his glorious begin to life within the Premier League with Bournemouth.
Huijsen has made 19 appearances since becoming a member of the Cherries this summer time, scoring two objectives, contributing to 5 clear sheets and totalling 1,330 minutes performed.
How Huijsen compares to Fofana
Fofana has made 12 appearances thus far this season for the Blues, earlier than happening together with his newest hamstring harm, contributing to a few clear sheets and totalling 1,017 minutes performed.
The Frenchman was usually tasked with being aggressive on the opposition workforce’s greatest participant, seeking to win duels and make issues uncomfortable for them, realizing if he was overwhelmed, he had the restoration tempo to nonetheless catch his man.
|
Dean Huijsen vs Wesley Fofana comparability |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (per 90 minutes) |
Huijsen |
Fofana |
|
Passes Tried |
54.7 |
60.8 |
|
Passes Accomplished |
46.5 |
54.9 |
|
Passing Accuracy % |
85.1% |
90.25% |
|
Ahead Passes |
22.4 |
18.5 |
|
Tackles |
1.7 |
1.2 |
|
Interceptions |
2.2 |
1.1 |
|
Blocks |
1.5 |
0.8 |
|
Aerial Duels Received |
2.7 |
2.1 |
|
Floor Duels Received |
4.7 |
5.2 |
|
Stats taken from Squawka |
||
When evaluating the 2 defenders’ metrics from this season, you’ll be able to see Huijsen is already outperforming Fofana from a defensive actions standpoint, which is a large constructive whenever you consider the Frenchman’s function of marking the opposition’s greatest attacker.
The passing metrics favour Fofana, however you’ll be able to assume a lot of that is because of play fashion, as Huijsen is commonly tasked to go extra direct, as seen from his ahead passing numbers.
Huijsen was labelled as “one of the crucial gifted teenage CBs in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig and additional described as a “monster within the air” by Sky Sports activities’ Joe Tomlinson, displaying maturity far past his years this season for Bournemouth.
Moreover, the 6 foot 5 central defender has the body to contest in quite a lot of duels, while additionally having the composure and footballing IQ past his years to learn the sport and arrive in the suitable place on the proper time.
The 19-year-old already has all of the foundations of a superb centre-back and given time to develop, and bulk his higher physique barely to help him in 1v1 duels in opposition to bodily strikers, he’s positive to enhance even additional, which might make him the right accomplice for Colwill going forwards, a partnership that might develop collectively and complement one another in a possession-based system.
Associated
Higher than Garnacho: Chelsea might signal “top-of-the-line LWs in Europe”
Chelsea could make higher signing than Garnacho by going for this “excessive power attacker”
