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According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Chelsea are keeping tabs on 20-year-old Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.
A big chunk of Chelsea's prolonged on-field issues this season have resulted from the gaping faults in their backline. Furthermore, injuries and consistent sub-par performances from his trusted personnel have restricted Mauricio Pochettino from putting out a stable back four.
The English giants currently have a negative goal difference (-1) in the Premier League, having conceded a whopping 39 goals in just 23 outings. As a result, they currently sit in 11th place, 16 points off the top-four.
According to the exclusive Chelsea column penned by SPTC's Ben Jacobs, the Blues have set their eyes on Milos Kerkez, a young Hungarian left-back currently plying his trade at Bournemouth.
Despite his tender age, Kerkez has already racked up 22 appearances for the Cherries this season and has even contributed with an assist in the Premier League. Moreover, the Hungarian wunderkind has also featured 13 times for his national side.
Jacobs has stated that Chelsea are only monitoring Kerkez's development for now. There is a possibility of the Blues making a move for his signature in the summer, which could also be delayed to the summer of 2025. He is currently valued at €20 million as per transfermarkt.
Chelsea set to miss Benoit Badiashille in their EFL Cup final against Liverpool: Reports
As if things weren't already catastrophic at Stamford Bridge, injuries continue to deal more blows to Chelsea's 2023-24 campaign. Apart from the sidelined first-choice goalkeeper, Robert Sanchez, as many as four senior defenders currently find themselves on the treatment table.
22-year-old French center-back Benoit Badiashile is the latest addition to Chelsea's injury list, having picked up a knock in his side's 3-1 win over Aston Villa in the FA Cup. While Pochettino has insisted that further scans are needed to form a proper assessment, Badiashile is still expected to remain out of action for a month (via Football London).
The former Monaco defender started the season on the sidelines, with a hamstring injury keeping him out of action till October 2023. Badiashile managed to string 12 appearances across all competitions for his side following his return before the recent setback.
Consequently, he is set to miss out on several important clashes, including the EFL Cup final against Liverpool, as well as Chelsea's FA Cup fifth round bout against Leeds United.
