According to a recent report by Football.London, Premier League giants Chelsea have been linked with a potential summer move for the services of Atalanta’s German left-back Robin Gosens. While the report suggests that Leicester City’s Ben Chilwell and Porto’s Alex Telles are also being linked, it has been clarified that Gosens has propped up as an option for Lampard over recent weeks.
The same report, quoting unnamed sources in Germany, has claimed that Chelsea are monitoring Robin Gosens and that they won’t have a free run-in in the race for his valuable signature. It has been suggested they will face stern competition for his services from the likes of Leicester City, Inter Milan and even Ligue 1 outfit Lyon.
Although nothing does seem out of the ordinary, the report pointed out that the Foxes’ manager Brendan Rodgers will only have to look for a left-back if they lose Ben Chilwell, who is well on the Blues’ radar this summer.
What Is The Current Left-Back Situation At Chelsea?
The London side started the campaign with two recognised left-backs in the roster, with seemingly polar skill-sets, which were expected to work in Lampard’s favour. In reality, though, neither of the Blues’ options in that role have managed to nail down a spot, as they both possess a variety of weaknesses across multiple areas on the pitch. Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri are Chelsea’s current options in the role.
It was the Italian who started the league campaign as first-choice, and while his performance levels weren’t terrible, it didn’t come as too much of a surprise when he was dropped midway through the season. Marcos Alonso, on the other hand, isn’t the best at defending and was hence used sparingly too. Despite the presence of these two natural left-backs, Lampard was forced into moving skipper Cesar Azpilicueta over to the other flank to provide some defensive security down that end.
What Would Robin Gosens Add To This Chelsea Team?
The 25-year-old has been one of the brightest sparks of Atalanta’s campaign, and he’s been beyond pivotal in their solid run to the quarterfinals of the Champions League this season as well. Capable of slotting in at left-back or as part of a back five, the German would offer a much more balanced skill-set than the options Chelsea currently have at their disposal. While getting forward is obviously essential, a defender’s primary objective is to keep the other team from scoring. When it comes to that, Gosens could be a much better option than both Alonso and Emerson.
Chelsea Are Monitoring Robin Gosens: Smart Move By Lampard?
The Chelsea gaffer’s desire to replace the left-backs that are currently available to him is no surprise, with the only shocking aspect being that it’s taken them this long to acquire an alternative. While Ben Chilwell and Alex Telles would be the Blues’ primary options, it’s doesn’t, by any stretch of the imagination, mean that Gosens isn’t a good player. The German has displayed amazing quality all through the season for Atalanta, while his 22 league fixtures for the Serie A club have yielded seven goals and five assists – more than what both Alonso or Emerson have managed this term.
