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Chelsea have had a difficult time of late. Their ownership problem has left them unable to deal with contract situations. This has meant that as many as four of their defenders are almost certain to leave the club in a few weeks.
The trio of Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso, and Andreas Christensen look like they are heading to Barcelona, while Antonio Rudiger is off to Real Madrid.
Chelsea have big shoes to fill at the back
Now under new owners and with money to spend again, the onus will be on Chelsea to find fitting replacements for these key players. Here are some players that Chelsea should perhaps target to replace their outgoing players.
Cesar Azpilicueta has served the Blues phenomenally, captaining them to a Champions League trophy and winning several others. So what do Chelsea need here? Azpi at his best was a tenacious and defensively secure right-back who was also extremely adept at playing centre-back.
Under Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea have used three centre-backs along with wingbacks. Azpilicueta has either played as a right centre-back or right wing-back. They need someone to fill that role.
The most obvious choice is Jurrien Timber of Ajax and the Netherlands. The 20-year-old can play both positions with complete ease and has been phenomenal this season. However, if Chelsea want him, they have to act quickly because new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag seems very keen to have him as well.
The second option could be Napoli's Giovanni Di Lorenzo. The Euro 2020 winning right-back has been superb for a few seasons now. He is also really good defensively and will feel right at home in Azpilicueta's positions.
Another option could be putting Reece James at the right centre-back position when needed and buying an attacking right-wing back. Options could include the likes of Barcelona's Sergino Dest, Southampton's Kyle Walker-Peters and former Cobham graduate Tariq Lamptey.
Christensen and Rudiger are also on their way out. These will be a particularly difficult gaps to fill as they will have to fill two places. Sevilla's Jules Kounde is an obvious pick given that he almost had a deal to arrive at the Stamford Bridge last summer. Kalidou Koulibaly and Pau Torres have also been linked with the club.
Chelsea have other interesting options if they choose to go for them. Levi Colwill is someone who Chelsea already have on their books. The 19-year-old came through the youth ranks and has been one of the best defenders in the Championship this season. He was on loan at Huddersfield and should at least be given a chance in pre-season by Tuchel.
Torino's Brazilian defender Bremer could also be a smart acquisition. He has been absolutely phenomenal this season and all the big Italian clubs want him. An even bigger positive is that he is used to playing in a system quite similar to what Chelsea use.
Both Christensen and Rudiger are really good ball-playing defenders and that is something quite important to Tuchel. That brings us to Facundo Medina, who plays for Lens in Ligue 1. The 22-year-old has some of the finest ball progression numbers in Europe and plays in a back five as well. He also happens to be left-footed.
Another potential option for Chelsea could be Dortmund's Manuel Akanji. Tuchel would know him from his time at Dortmund and there is a really dominant young centre-back in there. With Dortmund signing both Niklas Sule and Nico Schlotterbeck, Akanji could be in the market.
Lastly, it looks like Marcos Alonso is also leaving. Due to Ben Chilwell's injury, Alonso has had an unexpectedly bigrole to play this season. His replacement would ideally be someone who can not only fill in but also challenge Chilwell for the starting spot.
The first option should be Brighton's Marc Cucurella. The former Barcelona player has been fantastic in his first Premier League season, impressing with his energy and all-round quality. The Blues need their wing-backs to be creative, and Cucurella has 1.2 key passes per 90 this season, despite playing as a left centre back at times.
Another option is Inter's Ivan Perisic. Having played as a winger all his career, Perisic has really reinvented himself at left wing-back of late. The Croatian will bring a wealth of experience and quality and is available for free. His age will not be an issue as the Stamford Bridge have shown in the past with Thiago Silva's transfer and the subsequent success.
The last option is a left field one. Hoffenheim's young David Raum has been something of a revelation this season. The 24-year-old left wing-back has supplied 11 assists in the Bundesliga this season and has created a total of 19 big chances. He will soon be targeted by other big clubs so the Blues should move fast.
