Ranking Chelsea’s midfield transfer targets | OneFootball

Chelsea are looking to revamp their midfield ahead of next season after a poor 2022/23 campaign.

The Blues have lacked a holding midfielder dating back to when Nemanja Matic left for Manchester United in 2017.

West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice has been linked with the club, but Arsenal are leading the race to sign him.

We assess Chelsea’s other midfield targets.

Moises Caicedo – Brighton & Hove Albion

Chelsea’s top target to plug their midfield hole is Ecuadorian titan Moises Caicedo who had a breakout campaign for Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022/23.

The 21-year-old excels at stopping opposition attacks with crunching tackles. The former Independiente del Valle star is usually in the right place at the right time.

Caicedo’s passing game is also stellar, recording 88.5% accuracy while playing 6.28 progressive passes per 90.

He ranks in the 74th percentile among midfielders in the top five leagues.

Caicedo demonstrated his versatility last term, playing as a right-back when the team needed him.

Brighton will likely demand around £100 million for Caicedo, but Chelsea will hope to negotiate a lower fee.

Manuel Ugarte – Sporting CP

Sporting CP midfield enforcer Manuel Ugarte looked close to joining the Blues earlier this summer, but he is reportedly on his way to Paris Saint-Germain.

Chelsea were ready to invest in the Primeira Liga club, but PSG offered Ugarte more money.

Ugarte is a ball-winner who breaks up opposition attacks for fun. He relies more on his aggression and incredible stamina than on positioning.

Caicedo is notably better than Ugarte in the build-up phase. The Ecuadorian plays more progressive passes than Ugarte.

Ugarte is much better at carrying the ball forward. He can escape tackles with mazy dribbles.

Romeo Lavia – Southampton

Chelsea previously tried to sign Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia when he left Manchester City.

Lavia immediately established himself in the Premier League, performing remarkably well as a defensive midfielder.

Chelsea returned for him in January but could not get the deal done again.

However, Southampton will be more open to a sale following their relegation to the Championship.

Chelsea talent recruitment chief Joe Shields is pushing the club to sign him.

Shields worked at Man City and played a role in Lavia’s development. He took the player to Southampton when he worked there.

The young Belgian is an exciting talent but does not have the experience to anchor the midfield for Chelsea.

However, he could make a terrific back-up option for Chelsea’s other targets.