According to a recent report by The Daily Express, Chelsea are prepared to cough up £23m to bring Inter Milan midfielder Matias Vecino to Stamford Bridge at the end of this campaign. The same source has revealed that Inter head coach Antonio Conte wants to cash in on the player, but the Blues will face stiff competition from Everton in pursuit of his signature this summer.
Vecino’s Impressive Spell At Milan So Far
The Canelones-born talent came through the youth ranks of Central in Uruguay before his big switch to Europe to play for Fiorentina. Inter decided to take a chance on him in the summer of 2017 where he has enjoyed a period of stability. Vecino has played in a total of 91 matches for the San Siro-outfit, scoring 11 goals while providing six assists in all competitions. Even though the Uruguayan midfield ace has not set the world on fire during his time at Milan, he is turning out to be a useful asset in Conte’s squad.
Th ex-Empoli midfielder has featured in 20 matches for the Italian outfit this term, netting three goals and creating one assist on all fronts. However, Vecino has found more joy defensively after averaging 1.9 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 1.3 clearances per 90 minutes in the Serie A.
It is also worth noting that his numbers have gone up in the UEFA Champions League group stages where he has made an average of 2.3 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 1.0 clearances per game so far in this campaign (stats via whoscored).
The stats prove that the tough-tackling midfielder is not afraid to raise his game when the spotlight is on him, so he deserves a lot of credit for how well he has managed to deal with the growing expectations at the San Siro.
What Will Matias Vecino Bring To Stamford Bridge?
The Inter defensive midfielder is not shy about getting stuck in with a few tackles and can make vital interceptions for his side. He is also a willing runner with the ball from midfield and can open up pockets of spaces for others to run onto in the opposition half. The 41-time Uruguay international can also pull off some crucial last-ditch clearances to save his team’s blushes when they are left exposed at the back.
Frank Lampard currently has N’Golo Kante as the only natural defensive midfielder in his squad. Both Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic can also play in that position but are more renowned for their creative skillset. Hence, recruiting a midfielder of Vecino’s experience could give Chelsea an edge in the midfield department as they look to close the gap with Liverpool at the summit of English football.
The Uruguayan enforcer will not only add some bite and steel to the Blues’ midfield but will also provide some healthy competition for Kante, who has missed some crucial matches this season due to an ankle injury. The West London giants need a strong squad if they want to compete for major trophies in the coming years. Therefore, it makes sense for Lampard to strengthen his midfield ahead of what could be a defining season for him at Stamford Bridge next term.
