Chelsea have started their season in a frustrating way following the huge spending the Blues shelled out this summer. The FA Community Shield loss might not have been that significant but it really pointed out the holes in Antonio Conte’s squad, leaving him desperate for more in the ending weeks of the transfer period.
Reportedly, the Italian manager has been displeased with the administration for the business done and would want one more signing this summer that the side is finding it difficult to get done. AS Monaco’s Djibril Sidibe has been one of their latest targets as Chelsea look to shore up their defence after getting on Antonio Rudiger from AS Roma.
The Ligue1 defending champions have already had to deal with the departure of a number of star players and they wouldn’t want to sell anymore with the season already underway. However, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has the resources to tempt them and Conte wants him to go for the right-back right away.
Chelsea had to miss out on Juventus’ Alex Sandro after the saga dragged too long and that gap has remained unattended. In Rudiger, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Alvaro Morata, Chelsea have merely had their squad replaced more than an upgrade and it was seen at Wembley on Sunday. The newbies will have to play in the Champions League even before they adapt to their style of play and Conte would need quality depth for that.
In Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso, Conte has two established options but has found no good covers for them that could allow him to shift his formation when things are going south. And 24-year-old Sidibe could be that fit for him. The French international doesn’t have a love for London though as he snubbed a move to Arsenal last summer for Monaco.
A right back by nature, the player can also play on the opposite flank and excels in both defensive and offensive duties. Manager Leonardo Jardim has used him to the fullest last season starting 18 games on the right and 12 on the left. He has 10 international caps for France so far and had made 47 appearances for Monaco in all competitions last season. He scored three times.
At 182cm, the player should easily cope with the rigours of the Premier League and his crossing and dribbling abilities make him a complete over-lapping player to have on one’s side. An academy product of French second-tier side ES Troyes AC, Sidibe was in his fourth year with Lille when Arsenal had recognized his talent. He chose to move to Monaco instead.
