Chelsea have reportedly renewed their interest in Juventus fullback Alex Sandro, per Calcio Mercato. The Blues were strongly linked with the Brazilian in the summer but failed to convince him to a move to Stamford Bridge.
Juventus rejected a series of offers from Chelsea for the Brazilian, including a €60 million bid. But Antonio Conte, long being an admirer of the 26-year-old, is still on bringing Alex Sandro to London. The Blues could be making another huge bid for him as they aim to sign the highly rated fullback in the winter transfer window.
But are Chelsea making the right progress in attempting to sign Alex Sandro from Juventus?
In the summer, Antonio Conte was evidently keen on strengthening his options in the wingback department. During his stint with Porto, Alex Sandro was touted as an heir to Roberto Carlos. He has outclassed the likes of Stephan Lichtsteiner, Patrice Evra and also proved to be a much better player than the rest of Porto’s recent raft of sales.
One of his most valuable assets as a fullback is his versatility. Despite being a natural left back, Sando is equally good playing as a right back. He has a strong left foot and is pretty fluent in his passing and distribution.
Furthermore, Alex Sandro is a tactically astute player, who can slot in at any given formation. He played in a back four system at Porto but later he was shifted into a wingback role at Juventus, with their three/five pendulating back four. Alex Sandro will easily fit into Antonio Conte’s three at the back defensive formation at Chelsea.
The 26-year-old is also very clever is possession. He knows his opponent well and acts accordingly. Sandro can be very dangerous with his forward runs aside from his defensive solidity. He proved to be a solid defender over the years, being fairly strong on tackles and 1v1 situations, in particular.
Although Marcos Alonso has been a revelation under the tutelage of, Antonio Conte, the Blues do need some necessary defensive reinforcements and the acquisition of Alex Sandro can be a game changer. Not only will he be an instant upgrade to Davide Zappacosta on the right, he can also provide the necessary spite going forward as well. Many believe him to be the second best left back in the world, second only by Brazilian compatriot Marcelo of Real Madrid.
There’s no doubt that Alex Sandro can quickly make an impact in the Premier League. Therefore, Chelsea should go all out for the 26-year-old Juventus fullback this winter, in an attempt to further strengthen the backline for Antonio Conte’s men.
