5 dominant centre-backs Chelsea might target to replace Cahill

It is quite surprising to note that Gary Cahill is still going strong for the Blues following his £7m signing from Bolton Wanderers in January 2012. At that time, Chelsea had players like David Luiz, captain John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic as centre-backs so it was assumed that the Englishman was being brought in to be a squad filler and help the club meet its homegrown quota.

Through the upheaval and trophy wins of the last couple of years, the 32-year-old has been an ever-present feature in the team and was given the captain's armband following the exit of Terry at the end of last season. However, the England international has looked slow, hesitant and has led to quite a number of goals being conceded this season.

For Chelsea to get back to winning ways next season, a defensive leader would be needed to play alongside two of either Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta or Andreas Christensen (Luiz could be on his way out of the club it after his issues with manager Antonio Conte).

It seems Kurt Zouma has no future at the club and Tomas Kalas could sign with Fulham permanently if the Cottagers make it to the Premier League via the playoffs.

Here are five leading centre-backs who could make the team better next season:

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#5 Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen & Germany)

Tah would provide youth and know-how to the Chelsea backline

The towering centre-back seems to have been around forever but aged just 22, he has taken his time to grow away from the spotlight and could now be set for a move to one of Europe's leading teams.

Deceptively calm for someone who is 6'4 in height, he has been praised by many people for his assertiveness; speed and clear thinking that help him make good decisions even in the face of approaching danger.

He has been hailed in the German press as the natural successor to Bayern Munich’s Jerome Boateng and a look at his statistics for this season show why this is.

His rugged nature and excellent positioning coupled with his height and aerial ability mean that Chelsea could become less susceptible to conceding from corners with him in the side. He is also not bad at passing the ball out and while he does not have the range that Luiz or Christensen possess, he is capable of protecting the ball well.

Clubs across Europe have been looking the way of the towering star and despite recently signing a new 5-year deal to stay put at the Bay Arena, Chelsea could test the Werkself's resolve with a tasty offer

#4 Malang Sarr (OGC Nice & France)

The youngster would provide the missing aggression for Chelsea

oung, aggressive and left-footed, the 19-year-old seems tailor-made for Chelsea and the Premier League.

A mainstay in the Nice side that shocked everyone in Ligue 1 by finishing third last season and qualifying for the UEFA Champions League qualifying stage.

Confident on the ball with an assurance that one would expect from an older defender, the French U-20 international has not played as much as he did last season due to certain tactical switches made by manager Luicen Favre.

A tough, tackling, great in the air defender who takes no nonsense and is aggressive in his tackling as well as in his marking, his can-do attitude and fearlessness would provide a perfect foil for the more cultured Christensen or Rudiger as he would cover for these guys whenever they look to bring the ball out of defence.

If he signs, he could provide the tenacity that has been a hallmark of Cahill's playing style at Stamford Bridge while offering more in terms of forward-thinking and being proactive.

It is unclear just how much the French Riviera side would demand for the youngster's services but given his potential for greatness, it could prove to be a deal as successful as Cahill's.

#3 Niklas Süle (Bayern Munich & Germany)

The German tank would be a great addition for Chelsea

Alongside Tah, Süle has for a long time been seen as the long-term successors to Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng. The former Hoffenheim man stood out for the Baden village team during his 7 years at the team and it was no wonder that big European clubs were after him until he joined Bayern Munich last summer.

Due to his height and German heritage, the 22-year-old has often been compared to his fellow countrymen Per Mertesacker and Holger Badstuber but while these two were noted for their immaculate sense of positioning as a compensation for their lack of speed, Süle is fast for a centre-back and this helps him get back into defensive positions to thwart opposition attacks.

His height and physical strength make him tailor-made for the Premier League as he would not find it difficult coping in the physically demanding environment in England. Despite his young age, he is an excellent marshaller of the backline and would automatically step into Cahill's role as defensive leader and organizer.

The question is not if he will fit into Chelsea as a perfect replacement for Cahill, the question is if a club as well-run as Bayern would want to lose such a player (who has already been earmarked as Hummels' long-term replacement).

If Chelsea were to get his signature, he would cost them something close to what Liverpool paid Southampton for Virgil Van Dijk and given his abilities and growing status, it could prove to be a brilliant decision.

#2 Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli & Senegal)

The Senegalese would be the dream signing for the Blues

Probably the most perfect of all the signings were Chelsea and Conte (if he remains as manager) to go after the Senegalese international again in the summer, it would be just the latest attempt at getting a player many feel could become as important as Terry was for the Blues.

Dominant, composed, strong and an absolute monster in the air, the 26-year-old has been one of the best defenders in Serie A ever since he arrived on the Italian peninsula from Belgian club KRC Genk in a £6.5m deal in 2014.

He would bring a composure to the Chelsea backline that has been sorely lacked at Stamford Bridge and would provide added insurance for goalkeeper Thibault Courtois. He is very confident with the ball at his feet and will help the team build from the back with his accurate long passes.

If the rumours concerning Napoli's manager Maurizio Sarri moving to Chelsea prove to be true, then the signing of the World Cup-bound Senegalese would make even more sense for the Blues as it is under the former Empoli tactician's tutelage that

Figures of £65m are already being bandied about and given the stubborn nature of Napoli's president Aurelio De Laurentiis, it might even get higher.

#1 Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspurs & Belgium)

Alderweireld ticks all the boxes for Chelsea

The Belgian super defender has been an ever reliable since his days at Ajax and looks set to leave Spurs in the summer as he is said to have rejected the contract extension offers he has been given.

The Belgian has been among the best defenders in world football for about 4 seasons now and given his rumoured cheap release clause of £25m, it would be foolish for the Chelsea hierarchy led by transfer czarina Marina Granovskaia to not make a bid to tempt the wantaway star to make the short drive from North to West London.

Rugged, strong with an innate sense for making immaculately timed tackles, the 29-year-old has several times being described as the Belgian equivalent of Sergio Ramos without the occasional red mist.

He is an accomplished leader of men and would step in immediately to marshal the Blues defence in its quest to get back to the top of both English and European football.

In addition to being world-class defensively, he is also very capable of opening up opposing teams with his range of passing and would be a perfect short to mid-term signing to replace Cahill.