Chelsea are now big admirers of a “complete player”, having watched him closely this season, according to a report.
Chelsea transfer news
The Blues have become known for their activity in the transfer market since the arrival of Todd Boehly, however, there are now signs those days could be coming to an end. Journalist Guillem Balague reports that Enzo Maresca wants two players for every position, and with that now in place, the head coach does not envisage signing more than two or three players in each transfer window.
Balague also states that Maresca is allowed to sign any player he wants, as long as they are under the age of 24 and willing to commit to the long-term project at Stamford Bridge.
As such, we continue to see reports linking Chelsea with a number of young players, including Sporting CP starlet Geovany Quenda, who has a whole host of admirers in the Premier League.
The Blues have also made an approach to sign fellow Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande, indicating that Maresca is still keen to bolster his defensive options, and a new report has now detailed another option in mind.
According to The Boot Room, the west London club are big admirers of Gent left-back Archie Brown and have continued to watch him this season, with the Englishman also capable of playing at centre-back and left midfield.
Interest in Brown is said to be growing, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, Brentford and Fulham all watching him closely this season. As such, there could be a huge battle for the 22-year-old’s signature, but current employers Gent could be in a strong negotiating position, given that his contract is not set to expire until the summer of 2027.
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Marc Cucurella remains Maresca’s first-choice option at left-back, starting the majority of games there this season, however, Maresca has also deployed captain Reece James in that area on occasion.
Ben Chilwell is also available but could leave Chelsea in January. The Blues appear to have a plethora of options, although both Chilwell and James have had their fair share of injuries over the past few years. As such, it may be wise for Maresca to bring in an additional reinforcement at left-back, and Brown could fit the bill, given that he is at the right age to be a part of the long-term Chelsea project, and he has impressed considerably with Gent.
Maresca is known for his attacking style of play, so it is important that his full-backs are capable of being a threat higher up the pitch, and the Gent star clearly is, given that he ranks in the 99th percentile for progressive dribbling carries per 90 over the past year.
Not only that, but the Englishman’s all-round game is clearly impressive too, given that Gent’s former head of recruitment, Samuel Cardenas, described him as a “complete player” and a “solid defender”. With that in mind, Brown could be a shrewd signing for Chelsea this January.
