According to a recent report by The Times (Paid Subscription Required), Premier League high-flyers Chelsea are said to be targeting a January move for Brighton and Hove Albion’s English international centre-half Lewis Dunk.
The report suggests that the dominant defender could cost the Blues in the region of £50m to acquire, but he is claimed to be the player that Frank Lampard wants to build his Chelsea defence-line around.
The 28-year-old is widely considered to be one of the most influential defenders in the entire league and has piqued the interest of the chiefs at Chelsea. The report claims that the Seagulls backroom team wouldn’t prevent a big-money move for the Englishman, especially considering that he’s been a fan-favourite at the Amex Stadium for a long time now. With his availability now made clear to the Blues, it’s up to Lampard to go out and get this deal done in January.
What Would Lewis Dunk Add To Chelsea?
The Englishman has been one of the Seagulls’ standout defenders over the last couple of seasons, and his talents have become widely renowned in the world of Premier League football as well. Not only is he a dominant and strong defender, but the 28-year-old also tends to be quite the force in the opposition’s final third as well, owing largely to his physicality and heading abilities. He is a genuine threat from set-piece situations and certainly has the odd goal in him as well.
At the end of the day though, the English international is a proper no-nonsense defender and could be a good fit at a club like Chelsea. Similar to former Stamford Bridge stars John Terry and Gary Cahill in his playing style, the big centre-half isn’t afraid to put his body on the line for the sake of the team and does pitch in with important attacking contributions at key points during the season as well.
Why Chelsea Must Convince Brighton To Sell In January.
The Blues’ defensive concerns this season have been no secret, and despite the good position they currently find themselves in, Lampard will undoubtedly be eager to strengthen in the winter. In Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen, the Blues have two somewhat inconsistent centre-halves, while Fikayo Tomori is still too young to be trusted regularly.
Finding an experienced partner for Antonio Rudiger will surely be one of Lampard’s priorities in the coming month, and Lewis Dunk fits the bill all too well. Chelsea even have things like the FA Cup and Champions League to worry about still and could end up being short-staffed come the end of the campaign. Dunk is a proven Premier League veteran and would be a fairly straightforward decision for Lampard to sign off on.
