While Chelsea might be having the best run in their last two years so far, it is very much noticeable how the Blues have been blessed with little to no injury and all players are in good touch. Conte has been successful in finding the perfect combinations and everything is working fine.
Rewind a few matches back to the EFL Cup against West Ham United and we could see how tweaking some players from the starting lineup cost them the match and elimination from the competition. And it is surely a huge concern for Conte as to how he will potentially replace them when injuries and suspensions creep in.
Consequently, Chelsea are linked with a host of players in all the positions this January and the latest name to emerge is Ajax midfielder Riechedly Bazoer, according to reports. Fierce rivals Arsenal are also apparently keeping tabs on the talented 20-year-old midfielder and his current club has labelled the player at £12m.
Bazoer came through the ranks of USV Elinkwijk Jeugd before he joined the PSV Eindhoven Youth in 2006-07. His growth continued in PSV till he chose to travel to Ajax in 2012 and join their U-19 team. And he has become a first-team player for AFC Ajax in just 3 years, which reflects his maturity and ability to adapt.
He has appeared 5 times for Ajax this season and has created two chances so far. He has completed 133 passes with a pass accuracy of 90%, of which 57% were forward passes. Whether be it his dribbling abilities or providing the perfect pass, Bazoer has been excellent attracting many suitors. He also has this knack of taking long shots although he is yet to score any goal this season.
In 184cm, Chelsea can also utilise his aerial prowess in the midfield but his defensive skills are yet to be proved. Given how big an admirer Antonio Conte is of defending, he is sure to nurture the youngster into a complete midfielder. Bazoer can play both as a central midfielder and an attacking midfielder.
Chelsea will reportedly see a mass exodus in the winter, which includes the likes of Cesc Fabregas, John Obi Mikel, Branislav Ivanovic and more. The midfield position will be pretty much there for the taking for Bazoer and given his age, he is surely a long-term prospect. Chelsea could be real title contenders if they could carry on their present form into the second half of the season, where squad depth will be quintessential.
Our Transfer-O-Meter on the likelihood of this transfer: 1.5/5
