Chelsea surely need to rethink their current strategy as this expensively-assembled group of young players suffered a 1-0 defeat in yesterday’s Carabao Cup final to Liverpool.
Although the Reds also had some academy players on the pitch due to suffering such a major injury crisis, it was their experienced leader Virgil van Dijk who scored the winning goal to cap another strong big-game performance.
Chelsea just don’t have anyone like that in their squad now that Thiago Silva is slipping down the pecking order and surely heading for the exit door when his contract expires this summer, so could the Blues try a change of approach and bring in more proven players in the next transfer window?
Time for a change of transfer approach at Chelsea?
It seems clear that, while it’s admirable to build for the long term, Chelsea also need to get out of their current crisis, and a few older heads in their squad could be ideal to help them do that.
Here’s our pick for four signings of more experienced players who would be ready to come in straight away and make an impact, rather than being with an eye on two or three years from now…
Victor Osimhen
One of the best strikers in the world right now, Victor Osimhen is just entering his peak years and has tasted success at the highest level, having won Serie A with Napoli last season. The Nigeria international looks very much like he could be the next Didier Drogba for Chelsea, and they badly need a talisman like that to lead their line after a pretty indifferent campaign from young Senegalese forward Nicolas Jackson.
Osimhen will surely have other suitors, meaning a deal won’t be easy, but this has to be a priority for CFC in the upcoming summer window as it ticks so many boxes for them and their current needs.
Rafael Leao
It’s fair to say the Mykhailo Mudryk deal looks like a big mistake by Chelsea as the young Ukrainian winger still hasn’t settled or managed to make an impact over a year after making the move to Stamford Bridge. AC Milan’s Rafael Leao is surely the man Chelsea need to come in in that position now.
The Portugal international has been a joy to watch for Milan, and, like Osimhen, is a Serie A title winner during his time in Italy. Leao will turn 25 before the start of next season, meaning he’s another player entering his peak years who can add some ready-made quality and winning know-how to this youthful Chelsea side.
Milan surely won’t want to sell Leao without a fight, or a huge fee, but if there’s any chance of a deal being done this is surely a no-brainer for Chelsea.
Joao Palhinha
One of the finest midfielders in the Premier League this season, Joao Palhinha has been rock solid in that defensive role for Fulham, leading to interest from Bayern Munich which ultimately didn’t end up going through.
Since Palhinha is still available, Chelsea surely need to be in the mix for his signature in the months ahead, as he’d be ideal to come in and provide some calm and stability in midfield, where youthful pair Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez haven’t really lived up to expectations.
Palhinha looks ideal for those young midfielders to learn from, so if Fulham do decide to cash in on the 28-year-old, Chelsea need to be on alert.
Alejandro Grimaldo
One of the signings of the season, Alejandro Grimaldo has been a revelation since joining Bayer Leverkusen on a free transfer from Benfica last summer. The 28-year-old Spaniard may not be the youngest, but he’s shown his quality and looks like he’d surely make a positive impact at Chelsea.
The Blues already have Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella at left-back, but neither player has been that convincing, while both have had injury problems. If Grimaldo can be prised away from Leverkusen, he’s shown he could be a very smart piece of business.
Leao’s playing no better than Pulisic in the same side in Serie A, why do you think he’ll be better than Pulisic at Chelsea?