Centre back gems Chelsea should be considering to replace the injured Wesley Fofana

With Wesley Fofana’s recurring injuries and Thiago Silva being nearly 40 years old and in the last year of his contract, any centre that Chelsea sign next needs to be absolute starter quality – someone ready to compete every week, not just a “backup” option. This will essentially be Thiago Silva’s long-term replacement and Fofana will have to settle as a rotation option when he returns. I also presume Trevoh Chalobah may leave the club in the not-so-distant future. 

The next centre-back Chelsea sign not only needs to have a squeaky clean injury history but also needs to be adept on both sides, be comfortable in a back 3 and back 4, be a progressive passer, aggressive defender, defend wide areas, win ground, aerial duels etc.

Let’s take a look at four options I have identified for Chelsea :

1. Ousmane Diomande

Diomande’s ball progression at his tender age is top-notch already. He can play long diagonal passes on either foot and tends to have pinpoint accuracy, ranking in the 99th percentile for passes attempted with 89 completed per 90, the 97th percentile for passes completed (90% per 90), and in the 98th percentile for progressive passes, completing 6 per 90. The youngster is comfortable on the ball when in motion and demonstrates a smooth turning radius with and without it.

He can make successful inroads into midfield in possession, ranking in the 96th percentile for progressive carries per 90 with 1.67. Also ranks in the 96th percentile for successful take-ons with 0.61 per 90.

His calmness and composure on the ball is ridiculously mature for his age and what I like about him is that he doesn’t tend to rush a pass if it isn’t on, he’d rather recycle the ball. This maturity in Diomandes’ game at the age of 19 is one of the reasons I see him having an unbelievably successful career as a CB. He is ahead of his time. 

Diomande demonstrates controlled aggression. He isn’t lunging in tackles and being rash. He makes calculated decisions and attacks his opponent when deemed necessary. Standing at 6 foot 1, his imposing figure and agility and pace makes/will continue to make him an absolute nightmare for attackers to play against. He is a ground dueling monster – ranking in the 95th percentile for tackles with 2.34 made per 90.

2. Josip Sutalo

I find it incredibly hard to believe that Josip Sutalo isn’t playing in a Top 5 league yet, a rumoured move to Ajax would be interesting, he really is a tremendous player. Sutalo is super composed in possession of the ball. The 23-year-old tends to be an excellent passer – cross diagonals, line breakers, you name it. He’s very impressive at luring in centre forwards in to press him, to then either carry the ball past them or spot an incisive pass. Remind you of a certain someone?

As mentioned, Sutalo is a very assured carrier of the ball, the Croatian enjoys surging into that right-hand channel to evade pressure and create space for others. You can see he really trusts his technical ability to navigate his way out of uncomfortable situations, It’s a mental trait I admire hugely. Sutalo demonstrates good awareness of his surroundings and his anticipation to sniff out danger before something arises, is a big plus. He defends proactively and aggressively, reflecting the characteristics of a traditional “no-nonsense” defender but also demonstrating the modern qualities that are desired in a high-level CB.

Standing at 6’3, Sutalo has an aerial presence and would provide much-needed height at both ends of the pitch to this Chelsea side. From what I’ve seen, he also looks comfortable defending wide areas and would slot in tactically to what it looks like Poch is building with the inverted full-backs, Sutalo could be the second centre back or right centre back in possession which would suit him down to the ground with the attributes as mentioned above.

In my opinion, Josip Sutalo is one of the best-value centre backs on the market right now and seems like one of the profiles the recruitment team should most certainly be tracking. 

3. Giorgio Scalvini 

LondonsFirst has previously reported that Chelsea sent scouts to watch Scalvini. The 19-year-old Italian has become a staple in the Atalanta defence since his breakthrough into the first team. Although he predominantly plays on the left side, he should be more than able to adapt to the right-hand side in the long term. He can also slot in as a defensive midfielder if needed. 

A perfectly useful accessory in the build-up, his assured technical ability and use of both feet open up many passing lanes and angles. He tends to play shorter and more precise vertical passes, as opposed to long ones – ranking in the 91st percentile for short passes attempted and in the 89th percentile for short passes completed, with 23 per 90.

He is adept at stepping out with the ball and helping peg the opposition back and keep them pinned in and the Italian enjoys taking up positions in midfield and can provide Pochettino with another weapon to disarm and nullify opposing teams. He ranks in the 83rd percentile for key passes per 90, the 92nd percentile for passes into the final third with 5 per game, in the 86th percentile for successful take-ons, and in the 96th percentile for passes into the penalty area per 90. 

Towering at 6’4, Scalvini uses his long frame to make interceptions in wide areas and can cover ground efficiently and effectively – he falls into the 97th percentile for interceptions made and in the 84th percentile for tackles made per 90. He moves very well for a man of his stature and demonstrates high levels of anticipation and alertness to potential danger and has the pace and athleticism to recover well.

At 19, Giorgio Scalvini is already showing high levels of maturity to his game and his unique profile should most certainly make him a candidate – albeit he may command a higher fee than the other suggested names. 

4. Jean-Clair Todibo 

Jean Todibo is a top-class technically proficient CB. Constantly looking to progress the ball, he takes ownership in possession and is incisive and penetrative with his passes. He ranks in the 88th percentile for progressive passes and in the 83rd percentile for passes into the final third per 90. He makes angles to receive the ball off his teammates and be an option in the build-up, whether that be to pass or carry the ball forward and take on opposing players.

The 23-year-old is aggressive and tenacious in the tackle, he doesn’t wait to react, and he acts on his own accord, showing high degrees of anticipation to snuff out an attacker’s next move. He’s a ground dueling monster, I’d hate to be an attacker up against him.

The Frenchman boasts brilliant recovery pace and his physicality and athleticism really enhance his ceiling as a centre back, ranking in the 95th percentile for tackles won and the 93rd percentile for dribblers tackled, making him an excellent 1v1 defender. He is adept at covering large distances and defending wide areas, again, making him a good tactical fit into Pochettino’s new look Chelsea. 

Jean Todibo still needs to add a layer of maturity to his game in terms of his temperament but this is something that can be pretty straightforward to solve. Standing at 6 foot 2, you’d expect him to be a bit more dominant in the air, but he isn’t, which is something that can be worked on. He still has room to grow and his current skillset possesses an undoubted quality, he just needs some refining around the edges – there aren’t too many better at coaching that than Pochettino.

Who would you choose? Let us know online.