Xabi Alonso is preparing to dramatically reduce Chelsea’s centre-back options, with the Blues looking to cut a group of 10 senior defenders down to just four or five before the transfer window closes.
Chelsea’s defensive overhaul has accelerated after another busy summer of recruitment and the £52million arrival of Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace.
Lacroix was brought in to strengthen Alonso’s starting options, but his arrival also intensified an increasingly obvious squad problem.
According to The Times, Chelsea had 10 senior centre-backs on their books following the Frenchman’s arrival, while Alonso wants that number reduced to around four or five.
Chelsea centre-back clear-out gathers pace
The process has already started.
Benoit Badiashile is heading to Napoli on loan, with the Serie A club paying a £2.6m fee and holding an option to buy the defender for around £23m. Napoli will also cover his salary during the season.
Axel Disasi is another player Chelsea are prepared to sell, while Mamadou Sarr and Aaron Anselmino could leave on loan before the window shuts.
Tosin Adarabioyo’s situation is less straightforward.
Marseille have shown the strongest interest in the experienced defender, while Benfica are also considering him. Chelsea are currently content to retain Tosin, although that stance could change depending on how the rest of the window develops.
ReadChelsea previously looked at how Lacroix’s arrival would force Chelsea into major defensive decisions, with Badiashile, Tosin, Wesley Fofana and others all needing clarity once the France international joined.
Alonso must decide who survives Chelsea overhaul
Reducing the group to four or five leaves little room for sentiment.
Levi Colwill and Lacroix appear positioned to play major roles, while Wesley Fofana remains another senior option. Jorrel Hato can also operate centrally despite featuring regularly at left-back.
Josh Acheampong creates one of the more intriguing decisions.
TalkSPORT reports that Frank Lampard wants the academy graduate at Coventry and Chelsea could consider doing business. The Times, however, reports that Chelsea still regard Acheampong as untouchable.
That disagreement underlines how fluid Alonso’s defensive rebuild remains.
Chelsea have spent heavily strengthening the position, but simply collecting centre-backs was never going to produce a balanced squad.
ReadChelsea raised the overcrowding issue during the Lacroix negotiations, when Disasi, Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah were already attracting interest.
Alonso now faces the harder part.
By the end of the window, roughly half of Chelsea’s senior centre-back options could be elsewhere, leaving the new manager with the smaller and more defined defensive unit he wants.
