Chelsea are having a transition time at the back with the previous ageing defenders like John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic, all expected to move out or retire soon. The 3 at the back formation has worked pretty well for them but Conte doesn’t have enough options as backup for his 3 main players.
Challenging for the title till the end of the season will be high on the agenda and they’ll need at least one more top class defender to achieve that. Here are 3 defenders Chelsea should consider to tighten the screws in the second half of the season.
Mattia Caldara
The talented defender has many suitors and Chelsea are likely to face fierce competition from Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United, who are keeping tabs on the player, as per reports.
The 22-year-old is one of those scoring defenders, who likes going forward for the set pieces. He has already scored 3 goals in his 7 appearances for Atalanta. He is also quite effective on the defensive side as he has won six tackles this season with a success rate of 67%. He has also made 19 interceptions, 31 clearances and five blocks, according to Squawka. The attributes reflect maturity way beyond his age.
Antonio Conte has been heaped with praise for his successful transformation of Chelsea’s defence from a 4-man backline to 3, which has revived the club from its faulty run of the previous season. However, Conte would be needing options as a backup for his back three, who have started every match since clicking and there is always a fear of burnout or injury with the Premier League gaining momentum.
