Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr bookend a nervy Chelsea line
Roma boss Jose Mourinho is reportedly planning to ransack his former side for two centre-backs, Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr.
The Blues have not lived up to the expectations they have of themselves of late. That’s especially true given they finished 12th in the Premier League last season and are currently 10th despite spending over £1billion in the last four transfer windows.
That should have seen a number of positions improved upon, but it’s not quite panned out that way.
A lot of areas of the squad look unrecognisable compared to before Todd Boehly was chairman, including the heart of the defence.
Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana were all signed since he took control of the club. What’s more, Levi Colwill has made his first Chelsea appearances this season after coming through the academy and going on loan to Brighton last term.
Only Thiago Silva – who’s another semi-recent signing – Chalobah and Sarr remain at the club in terms of central defenders who were around before Boehly.
Yet other than Silva, those men have not played a single minute this term.
There could be more changes to that corps soon, too.
Mourinho wants defensive pair
That’s as former Chelsea boss Mourinho is plotting to raid the club for Chalobah and Sarr.
That’s according to Italian outlet Calciomercato, who report the manager has the Blues pair on his wishlist at Roma.
Also on that list is Tottenham man Eric Dier; Mourinho is seemingly eager to bolster his defensive options and his former clubs could feel the force of that.
That neither Chelsea man has made their way onto the pitch this season – in Chalobah’s case that’s due to injury – Mourinho may feel the Blues will be willing to let them go, and perhaps on the cheap.
That may be true for Chalobah, as TEAMtalk recently revealed he’s likely to be forced out of the door soon. However, it could take as much as £45million for them to see him go.
Other interested sides such as Tottenham might well be more willing to splash that sort of cash.
Double exit could harm Chelsea
If Chelsea are to let both men go, that’s a decision that could come back to bite them.
Indeed, Chalobah and Sarr are two of seven central defenders in the club’s first-team squad. That means both leaving would cut that number to five.
Of that five, three are currently sidelined due to injury, so they could be relying on just two men in the heart of the defence.
If that happens, Chelsea could be forced to suffer until one or two were to players reached fitness again, and another injury could be catastrophic.
With that being said, they may think carefully about who they let go, and how many centre-backs are allowed to leave.
On the other hand, if they let both go they could simply sign another player or two to make up for it, and under free-spending Boehly, that doesn’t seem unlikely.
