In a recent edition of talkSPORT’s The Sports Bar, pundit Jason Cundy shared that Chelsea ‘could do’ with Red Bull Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano this summer. Cundy praised the French centre-back’s performance against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals and said, “The boy Upamecano… what a performance!
“He was just immense. Chelsea could do with him!
“It’s the best performance I’ve seen from a young CB in a very long time.”
Upamecano’s Excellent Form At The Red Bull Arena This Season
The 21-year-old has established himself as a dominant defensive force at the heart of the Leipzig backline after he put in several commanding displays to help his team claim a third-place finish in the Bundesliga and also book a place in the Champions League semifinals where they will now face Paris-Saint Germain on Tuesday night.
Upamecano has made 37 appearances for the German outfit this term, picking up two assists, nine yellow cards and one red card across all competitions. He is quite aggressive with his tackles, which explains why he has received so many cautions from the referee this season.
Defensively, the French powerhouse has been a rock at the back for Julian Nagelsmann’s team based on his average of 1.9 tackles, 1.5 interceptions, 3.0 clearances and 1.0 dribbles per game in the Bundesliga. He deserves a lot of credit for improving his productivity in Europe as his average has gone up to 3.0 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 3.7 clearances and 2.0 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Champions League this season (stats via whoscored).
What Are The French Starlet’s Best Attributes?
Upamecano is a defensive powerhouse as he can win a lot of 50-50 aerial duels inside his penalty area by using his remarkable strength and leaping ability. He is an excellent 1v1 defender and is quite aggressive in the way he approaches the game in the defensive end of the pitch. The Frenchman has made a name for himself for making some vital interceptions for his side and is also not afraid to step up and run with the ball if given time and space in the opposition half.
Should The Blues Bring Upamecano On Board This Summer?
Upamecano has proven himself to be one of the best centre-halves in European football due to his ability to dominate the game defensively and keep things tidy at the back for his team. Therefore, the Blues would be fortunate to get a defender of his incredible potential this summer.
Frank Lampard should consider listening to Jason Cundy’s advice by making a move to bring the French whizkid to Stamford Bridge in this off-season. Upamecano is an exceptional player who has the ceiling to become a generational talent if he can continue improving himself with each year. It would be a massive coup for the West London giants if they can get the Leipzig star on board before the start of the new season as he will be a significant upgrade over any of Lampard’s current centre-back options at the English capital.