According to reports, Chelsea have turned their eyes towards Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand yet again as the Blues look desperate to patch up the little wounds here and there that were exposed in their Community Shield loss to Arsenal. Although Tottenham Hotspur’s Danny Rose remains their first priority to fill the wing back’s role, chances of Spurs leaving him are really bleak.
Despite spending a whopping £130 million in the summer this season to secure the services of Antonio Rudiger, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Alvaro Morata, Chelsea have failed to make any kind of upgrade in their game whatsoever. And their bench remains as thin as ever.
However, unlike last season Chelsea will be battling on four fronts this time that won’t give manager Conte the luxury of having the proven first eleven fit for every weekend games. With the departure of Nemanja Matic and Diego Costa this season their impact has been slashed by more than half, which was evident in the game on Sunday.
Conte has reportedly expressed his dissatisfaction with the club concerning the sale of the Serbian midfielder hinting enough that the London club aren’t doing business in accordance with their manager’s wishes. A potential wing back remains a long-term concern for Chelsea who have seen Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses showing inconsistency last season and the Chelsea manager has time and again stressed the need to get more players in the wide areas.
Their desperation to sign Alex Sandro from Juventus was an example of it. However, it seems like they have to buy back one of their academy product for a bigger price yet again. Before leaving Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis in 2015, he was with the Blues for nine years when Chelsea didn’t recognize his potential.
Bertrand could be a quality signing given the impressive season he had with the Saints last campaign. The English full back scored three goals and provided four assists from the flanks last season in 39 appearances. His tremendous speed and dribbling abilities make him a wise addition for any side in the Premier League.
He has become a regular for the national team in the past these three years with the long absence of Danny Rose. The 27-year-old could provide some of the perfect crosses and with Morata at the centre, should give Chelsea some real edge on the counters.
Southampton have rated the player at around £30 million and if Virgil van Dijk does leave, which he is determined to, Southampton aren’t leaving him under any condition.
