Former Chelsea and England defender Glen Johnson has backed the Blues to sign Leicester City centre-back Wesley Fofana this summer, comparing him to compatriot Raphael Varane. It comes as Thomas Tuchel prepares for life after Antonio Rudiger.
The German defender is set to leave the club at the end of the season, with his contract expiring in just a few months. Contract proposals aren’t currently able to be made, due to the sporting licence they operate under due to sanctions on owner Roman Abramovich.
Despite being a key player under Tuchel, he has already announced he is leaving, something that the manager confirmed himself: "The situation is that he wants to leave the club. He informed me of this in a private talk. We gave everything - me and the club - but we could not fight anymore because of the actions.
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“Without the sanctions we would at least be able to carry on fighting, but our hands are tied. We don't take it personally. It is his decision. He is a key figure and will stay that way until the end of the season. But it is disappointing. We will miss him a lot.”
Another defender in Andreas Christensen is also set to leave, with his contract up, leaving the manager with few options at the back. While the summer transfer window could be largely dictated by the ownership situation, plans will have been made for potential signings this summer.
With the lack of defenders, that is one area that is sure to be top of the list, and former right-back Johnson believes the Blues should go for Fofana. Speaking to GGRecon, he said: “Yeah, I love him [Fofana] to be honest, I think he’s fantastic. He reminds me of Raphael Varane; quick, good on the ball, strong.
"I think Wesley Fofana would be a very good replacement for Antonio Rudiger at Chelsea. Not long ago he wasn’t even in the France squad, which blew my mind because he was unbelievable. I like him a lot."
The 21-year-old has been particularly impressive for the Foxes, but has only made three Premier League appearances since returning from a huge knee injury in pre-season. However, given his maturity at such a young age at the back, he is tipped for big things.
The Frenchman could be a huge signing, though with a contract until 2027, it could be tough to acquire him.
