Chelsea’s search for a winger is already underway as Eden Hazard’s future with the club continues to be speculated upon, amid interests from Real Madrid. Fresh reports have come out linking the Blues to Lazio star, Felipe Anderson. Manchester United were heavy favourites to land the Brazilian and now Chelsea have joined in the race to rival their interests.
Anderson has been one of the brightest sparks in the Serie A ever since his arrival in the summer of 2013. He is a product of the Brazilian outfit, Santos’ youth ranks and went on to make 68 total appearances netting the ball 7 times.
A wide range of skills makes him one of the most lethal Wideman in the game. He has struggled to find his feet this season with a few bouts of injuries but he has come back to score 1 and assist another in the 3-0 win over Udinese last month.
He has started just that one game in the Serie A this season and reportedly was involved in an argument with the Lazio manager, Simone Inzaghi. He was allowed to play the last 20 minutes of the 1-2 home loss to Genoa earlier this month and this somehow instigated the fall out between the player and the manager.
Anderson subsequently was left out of the squad in the 4-1 loss to Napoli last weekend. Now it looks like things have settled down at the I Biancazzurri as Inzaghi came out and said, “He’s understood that he was wrong, he is motivated and fully concentrated and that’s what I want to see in him.”
The player is clearly unsettled and wants to receive more minutes from the starting XI. While he finds a way to do so this season, Chelsea would not mind providing him with an escape to Stamford Bridge ahead of the following season.
Antonio Conte will know off the Brazilian during his time in the Serie A, managing Juventus. The Italian was scouting a host of European wingers but ended up not bringing in any. He bolstered the squad through the addition of Emerson Palmieri, Ross Barkley and Olivier Giroud but would ideally want to sign a wide man in the summer.
However, his future at the helm of Chelsea management has also fallen under heavy scrutiny after the consecutive losses to Bournemouth and Watford in the Premier League. It is unclear whether his decisions will be entertained in the summer if he eventually ends up facing the axe.
