da bwin： Pinpointing a new midfielder to partner Enzo Fernandez at Chelsea is arguably one of Mauricio Pochettino’s biggest challenges, which he simply must get right.
da dobrowin： Getting the perfectly curated protector with a tough-tackling ferocity and keen athleticism is a tricky task.
The club has been incessantly linked to Moises Caicedo, however, Brighton are supposedly demanding around £120m for the Ecuadorian’s services.
Nevertheless, a cheaper, more realistic, and attainable alternative has emerged in the form of Aurélien Tchouaméni, whose signing would be a humongous statement of intent from the West Londoners.
What’s the latest on Aurélien Tchouaméni to Chelsea?
According to reports in Spain, the Blues offered €60m (£51m) for the Frenchman which was immediately rejected, and they are planning an improved bid of €80m (£68m), which will give Real Madrid something to think about.
Although far-fetched and extremely ambitious, the 2021 Champions League winners possess a ludicrously excessive budget, which could be shrewdly sprayed upon this ball-winning machine.
Who can Aurélien Tchouaméni emulate at Chelsea?
The 25-cap international joined the 14-time European Champions last summer for €100m (£86m) and made 50 appearances for Los Blancos.
As per FBref, the former Monaco prodigy has been compared to the current talk of the town, Declan Rice, due to their strikingly similar attributes.
Defensively, both these titans are formidable protectors for their backlines, with Tchouaméni averaging slightly better numbers in most departments as he has more tackles per 90 (2.61 vs 2.17), interceptions per 90 (1.98 vs 1.73), clearances per 90 (1.87 vs 1.59), and aerials won per 90 (1.91 vs 1.02), according to FBref.
The £206k-per-week man also outperforms his positional peers in pass completion (92.9% vs 86.5%), but Rice makes more progressive passes.
Tchouaméni’s compatriot Paul Pogba has lauded the sensation for his quality saying: “Very very good. He's not a boy, he's a man.
“It was a pleasure to play next to him. He brings a lot of energy. A lot of energy, and extraordinary technical and physical quality.”
Indeed, that's a review that could well describe Rice too.
The 22-year-old has started every game for his nation at the 2022 World Cup and scored in the 2-1 quarter-final victory over England.
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol has said that Chelsea’s new ownership has targeted the world’s “best young players” and Tchouaméni certainly fits that bill.
The pivot ranks within the best 8% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for interceptions, pass completion, and clearances per 90.
For the West London outfit to get back to where it belongs, this is exactly the type of scintillating Rice-like signing to reinvigorate the fanbase with a new-found belief that its new setup can take the club forward.