Antonio Conte has been a busy man ever since his side lifted the Premier League trophy on the final day of the previous season. The manager will be well aware of the frailties in the squad that won the league title, as was clear in their loss to Arsenal in the FA Cup late last season.
The likes of Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Antonio Rudiger are surely going to improve the quality of the squad but Chelsea still need a few additions to make sure that they can mount a title charge next season as well.
This has seen them linked extensively with a move for some of the finest stars in England and one such player now constantly linked with a move to the Bridge is Southampton star, Cedric Soares. According to English news outfit Evening Standard, Chelsea have now turned their attention towards the Portuguese international, after missing out on Danilo to Manchester City and failing to land Alex Sandro from Juventus.
Born and brought up in Singen in Germany, the 25-year old started his youth career with Sporting CP as a nine-year-old and went on to make 67 senior appearances for the Portuguese outfit from 2011 to 2015, spending just one of those years on loan.
However, English club Southampton managed to lure him to the St Mary’s in 2015 and ever since Soares managed to cement a place as the first choice right back for the Saints till date. With three assists in 30 Premier League appearances last season, he was one of the most important parts of the squad for Claude Puel but has been linked with the likes of Manchester City and Barcelona along with Chelsea.
Known for his ability to hold fort at the back, the 25-year old is still a liability in the air but over the last couple of years, he has learnt how to deal with the lack of aerial strength, playing in the English league. To add to it, he is an excellent passer with sublime vision, which allows him to create chances as well, putting in some sumptuous crosses for his attacker.
Chelsea had used Victor Moses as a wing-back last season to great effect, but in the Champions League, they will need a more established full-back to take this role and Soares seems to be the best option for the Blues at the moment. Danilo could have been a great addition but with the lack of options in the current transfer market, Chelsea should meet Southampton’s asking value this summer.
