Chelsea belittled (read: humiliated) Manchester United with a thumping 4-0 victory which must have healed the wounds they had earlier succumbed to. Despite the comprehensive win with resolute defending being offered on the tray, Antonio Conte won’t settle with it and aim to add strength to his mettle as the rumours floating around the likelihood of Dόria Macedo’s arrival at the Stamford Bridge is picking up pace in particular.
Dόria has had his share of going through rigorous tasks of proving himself. Having started his journey from the Brazilian local side Botafogo, he was signed by Ligue 1 outfit Marseille in the summer of 2014, ahead of the likes of Barcelona, Chelsea and Juventus who were also interested to rope in the sensational youngster. However, he was sent back home to São Paolo in the winter transfer window, before being shipped to La Liga side Granada on a season-long loan to acclimatise with the demanding levels of football in Europe.
Ever since his return to France, he has appeared in Marseille’s all but one League fixture so far this season. In his tenure away from Marseille, he had bagged experience as to how to ply his trade effectively and efficiently which has been benefitting Rudi Garcia’s tactical nous at the back. The 21-year-old defender is reputed for his ball playing abilities; he doesn’t shy away from either playing the ball from the back or thoroughly scanning the game with ease.
Further, he likes to have possession, doesn’t commit himself to making obnoxious challenges and loves to play the long balls which make him an eye-catchy commodity and also someone who is tailor made for Conte’s three men backline.
Having understood that it would not be very ease to sign Leonardo Bonucci from Juventus, Dόria is clearly an alternative for the not-so-distant future. In 9 Ligue 1 appearances, the starlet has made 4 tackles, 16 interceptions, 59 clearances and 11 blocks, and the statistics just tell us why he is a wanted player by a dozen of top quality teams, including the Blues. 10 average defensive actions per game for a player who is in his learning phase does imply that he can very carefully carve a paved road to the zenith of success up ahead, should he maintain his consistency.
The 6’2” defender would fit very well at Chelsea, given the English league’s demand of ball playing defenders and the dearth of this particular asset at Chelsea. With the high probability of being operated with for the rest of the season by Marseille, Dόria can keep accumulating baby steps to his experience with every passing day before the big boys like Chelsea come to his doorstep to lure him.
Statistics Credits: Squawka.
