Exclusive sources name the defenders Chelsea “are interested” in; one option stands out | OneFootball

Our writer Simon Phillips has a really good rundown on our central defensive options for this summer. Thiago Silva is on the way out, and he’s going to leave a massive gap in terms of experience, as well as the need for another defender.

Phillips’ piece goes through a long list of options, with some names flagged up as being named as targets by his sources at the club. “Chelsea are interested” in Matthijs de Ligt, there is “slight interest” in Joachim Andersen, Chelsea “have watched” Jarrad Branthwaite, they’ve had two seasons of “interest” in Max Kilman, Marc Guehi is a perennial target, Tosin Adabioyo is on the list too, as is Ronald Araujo and Antonio Silva.

So there’s a huge variety of names being considered, some more realistic than others.

You’d have to say Adarabioyo looks an incredibly tempting option given he will be a free agent this summer. Staying in London will surely be tempting for him, and he’s got Premier League experience. He looks like the savviest move, if not the best player.

Tosin Adarabioyo celebrates a win with Fulham.

The runners and the riders

Ultimately what Phillips’ list reveals is that there is going to be a real divide over whether to go with an experienced central defender or a young and talented one. Half of the fanbase are simply going to explode if we sign another young talent without any experience. The moment they’re getting bullied by a wily striker with a newly promoted team everyone is going to be saying “I told you so!”

Equally, if we end up signing Sebastian bloody Coates or a rather busted looking Raphael Varane, the other half of the fanbase will explode. The moment some rapid young winger bursts away from them and makes them look their age, there will be recriminations in the other direction.

So it’s a very tricky situation for those upstairs to manage, and that’s before you ever get into the options which are realistically affordable.