Chelsea's defensive reality is coming home to roost in the final weeks of this season as Antonio Rudiger's decision to leave for Real Madrid has become public, and Andreas Christensen's drawn-out departure to Barcelona has been an open secret for some time.
Christensen's absence from Saturday's FA Cup final loss to Liverpool was a surprise to his own teammates, as football.london understands the defender had been set to start at Wembley, but Trevoh Chalobah was made to step in after Christensen left the team hotel on Saturday morning, similar to his last-minute omission from February's final.
Whether the Dane features in the Blues' remaining two league fixtures against Leicester and Watford is unclear, but his departure seems settled. Which, along with Antonio Rudiger, will force the club to act this summer to replace two senior players in a suddenly vulnerable area of Thomas Tuchel's squad.
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Our team of Chelsea writers have come together after Saturday's defeat to debate who the club should be targeting in the transfer window. With many names mentioned and the club likely to act, ensuring Tuchel gets the right names is crucial to ensuring a smooth first season under new ownership.
Adam Newson
It's not going to be easy for Chelsea to replace both Rudiger and Christensen. Both are very different personalities and possess very different skill sets, but both have showcased over the past 18 months that they are exceptional defenders when confident, on form, and used in Thomas Tuchel's back three.
It's why the former is headed for Real Madrid and the latter Barcelona. That Chelsea will not receive a fee for either is a source of frustration and disappointment among supporters. It will also make the Blues' job of bringing in able replacements just that much harder, although it appears incoming owner Todd Boehly is willing to invest in the squad.
Tuchel's dream centre-back signing would be, football.london understands, Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos. Yet that is an almost impossible deal for Chelsea to complete. So for the sake of this piece, I'm not going to select the Brazilian. Instead, I'm going to go with Jules Kounde as the option to replace Christensen.
The Frenchman was pursued by Chelsea last summer, but the Blues were unable to come to an agreement with Sevilla. Twelve months on, that shouldn't be such a difficult task. But if it is, there is always the release clause in the France international's contract that can be triggered.
As for a Rudiger replacement, I'd give academy graduate Levi Colwill his opportunity. Of course, that comes with a risk, given he is just 19 years old and has only season of senior football under his belt, but he has everything a head coach would want from a modern-day centre-back in addition to the right temperament. And having already sold Fikayo Tomori and Marc Guehi, Chelsea can't make the same mistake for a third time.
Scott Trotter - Matthijs de Ligt and Milan Skriniar
It's clear Chelsea's backline will need some rejuvenation this summer. There was an intention to begin the process ahead of this season with the addition of Jules Kounde, and now more work needs to be done. I perhaps could be taking a liberty by suggesting Kounde was already wanted and, as such, not deemed a replacement for Andreas Christensen or Antonio Rudiger, but a signing of his stature would, of course, go a long way to replenishing the backline.
For me, replacing the Denmark international comes down to, in part, finding someone to share minutes with Thiago Silva and hopefully succeed him in the heart of the Blues back three (if Tuchel persists with the formation given the turnover). Such a crucial role is important and likely to be expensive.Enter Mattijs de Ligt. There has been plenty of talk suggesting the Dutch defender could be available this summer, albeit for a significant cost. Manchester United have been linked due to Erik ten Hag, but perhaps Champions League football will be a bigger draw than a former boss. Youth and the ability for de Ligt to play in a back three or back four would allow Tuchel versatility in his selections.
Replacing Rudiger will be no easy task, with the German becoming his coach's most trusted defender. The development of Levi Colwill must be ensured, and a place in the squad could be a just reward after his loan period with Huddersfield. A more experienced figure to rotate with maybe the best solution rather than sending the 19-year-old straight into the cut and thrust of the Premier League, however. Milan Skriniar will be entering the final year of his deal with Inter Milan, so perhaps some value can be found there.
Bobby Vincent - Jules Kounde and Pau Torres
For me, Kounde has to be one of the incoming defenders. The Frenchman is a long-term target of Chelsea's, and it seems this season has done nothing to sway the club away from their pursuit ahead of the summer. He's fast, composed on the ball and offers strong physicality - all key components of the perfect modern-day centre-back. As well as this, the speed he has, similar to what we see with Rudiger at the moment, makes him an ideal option for one of the wide centre-back roles in Tuchel's back three.
Torres is another option for Chelsea. He's been scouted by the club for some time now, and the Blues still seemingly have an interest in him. However, Torres is said to be wanted by Manchester United, among others, as well, so there could be a fierce battle for his signature. The Spaniard continues to impress on the biggest stage for Villarreal and should be looked at by Chelsea to replace one of their outgoing defenders.
Anita Abayomi - Wesley Fofana and Jules Kounde
Leicester City fans, close your eyes now. I would love a Wesley Fofana in the team. He has been injured for the most part of the season; however, since his return, the Foxes have just lost 1 in the last five games he has played in. Considering their terrible defensive record this season, I'd say Fofana's return has steadied the ship.
The 21-year-old Frenchman has pulled the attention of clubs such as Manchester United and Real Madrid. The baller is versatile and has shown great ability to adapt in a back three as well as a back four. He can play as either sided centre back, which Chelsea will find favour in with a thinned selection that we are due to face.
Fofana's height and physicality set him aside as a favourite for me, but it may not be the best attribute for my second option. There's not much to say about Kounde that will not be said by my colleagues.
The 24-year-old is pretty much a Chelsea player as it stands. The Blues have been after him since the last summer transfer window, and it's only a matter of time before Marina Granovasksaia and her team of negotiators get the deal over the line. Manchester United have joined the race to sign Kounde, and hopefully, Chelsea will not be too late to seal the deal. Will he be the best man to replace Andreas Christensen? Yes. At this point, I'd take anyone who is more than capable of playing on the right side of a centre back trio or partnership.
Standing at 5 foot 8, Kounde may not be as tall as Christensen, but he possesses the pace and strength that will be needed for the new Tuchel era.
Daniel Childs - Gleison Bremer and Jules Kounde
Is it cheating to not count Levi Colwill as a new signing? Well, I am and firmly believe the academy graduate should be implemented into Tuchel's plans from next season. But both Jules Kounde and Gleison Bremer offer suitable replacements on both sides of Chelsea's defence.
Kounde, is a long-held target that would add speed and mobility to an area that has severely lacked it, with Cesar Azpilicueta showing his age in the closing weeks of the season. Kounde would allow Reece James to remain a threat at wingback, whilst Bremer provides an equally mobile solution on the opposite side, where without Rudiger, it has been a problem for Tuchel.
Bremer has been one of the standout defensive talents in Serie A and football.london understands Chelsea have been scouting him this season. With both players offering versatility and traits that could increase the speed in the Blues' play from deep, these would be the two I would go for.
