Chelsea may now have their own Cesc Fabregas and N’Golo Kante for their new manager
Chelsea could rebuild a midfield similar to that of N’Golo Kante and Cesc Fabregas, who led the club to the 2017 Premier League championship. Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo could replicate the duo’s success due to their ability to orchestrate attacks from midfield while also protecting their backline.
Upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge, Mauricio Pochettino has identified the midfield as an area of his team that requires improvement. Only a handful of Chelsea’s players were considered capable of competing at the highest level.
The Blues had to bid farewell to Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Kai Havertz, as well as Kante, who departed for Saudi Arabia as a free agent. Conor Gallagher is also prominently displayed as Todd Boehly seeks to fund another spending spree.
Caicedo is Chelsea’s top summer target, and negotiations with Brighton are currently ongoing. The Blues are hoping to sign the Ecuador international for approximately £80 million, but Brighton are holding out for £100 million due to Declan Rice’s transfer to Arsenal.
However, regardless of the cost, Chelsea could strike gold by acquiring Caicedo, as the 21-year-old appears to be the ideal candidate to partner Fernandez in midfield and free him from his defensive shackles.
Similar to Kante, Caicedo thrives due to his tremendous stamina and determination to regain possession for his team and advance the ball. In Brighton’s system, his ability to fuel attacks from deep has been emphasized, and his strengths could complement Fernandez perfectly.
The Argentine international has spoken this summer about his versatility and ability to play in a variety of midfield positions, which is largely due to his ability to pick a pass and make an impact with the ball – similar to Fabregas during his Premier League days. Pochettino may believe that a defensive-minded midfield partner will allow Fernandez to flourish and maximize his offensive impact.
With Christopher Nkunku expected to play as a 10 at the top of Chelsea’s midfield diamond, the former RB Leipzig star’s willingness to bomb forward could provide Fernandez with ample space to make an impact. Prior to joining the Blues in January, the 22-year-old scored one goal and assisted five others for Benfica.
This was largely due to Rafa Silva’s natural desire to push forward and be an option in the final third, which gave Fernandez space to operate. Pochettino’s replication of a similar system at Chelsea could be a masterstroke.
Chelsea may now have their own Cesc Fabregas and N’Golo Kante for their new manager