Perhaps the most pressing concern for Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea is the lack of depth in midfield.
This year, the Blues have lost Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Mason Mount, leaving the club moderately light in the centre of the park.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Moises Caicedo has been long-winded and well-documented as they’re yet to reach an agreement for the 21-year-old. The west London outfit recently had a bid of £70m rejected by the Seagulls, but previous reports suggested that the Ecuadorian could cost up to £100m.
Brighton’s stance has probably been hardened by Declan Rice’s £105m move to Arsenal, with the south coast side feeling they can acquire a similar fee for one of their biggest talents.
This frustrating process may force Chelsea in a different direction – and Marco Verratti has been suggested as a possible target.
What’s the latest on Marco Verratti to Chelsea?
According to Sky Sports News reporter Kaveh Solhekol, Chelsea are one of several European giants who are keen on signing Verratti.
He revealed there’s a chance that the 30-year-old will leave Paris Saint-Germain this summer. Although it is understood that the French club’s official position is that he’s not for sale, they may listen to offers that match their valuation, which is around £70m.
However, Atletico Madrid, Al-Hilal and Liverpool have also expressed interest in securing the Italian’s signature. Regarding the rumours around the Premier League sides, they are not confirmed and Solhekol believes it may just be intermediaries, agents, or representatives offering Verratti to Liverpool and Chelsea at this stage, as both clubs are in need of midfielders.
Nevertheless, given that the Reds are on the verge of losing Jordan Henderson and Fabinho – as well as the brazenly chaotic transfer dealings of the new Chelsea ownership – a move to either side could yet happen.
Would Marco Verratti be a good signing for Chelsea?
The 55-cap international has been an impeccable club servant for PSG, as in over a decade of service he has made over 400 appearances and won nine Ligue 1 titles.
His diminutive weaving stature and imperious technical elegance has helped him form a formidable reputation across the globe as one of the most talented midfielders.
This has been recognised by Pep Guardiola, who has emphatically underlined his praise for the 5 foot 5 magician, saying: “I’m in love with him. He is exceptional. Even under pressure, he manages to find those passes that allow the midfield to be free. He’s not a player for long passes but you can always count on him to build the game.”
His style of play has led to comparisons with Thiago Alcantara, as per FBref, as both relentlessly dictate the tempo of matches with their passing, intelligence and movement.
This is mainly mirrored by their statistics on the ball as they average similar pass completion per 90 (92.6% vs 86.6%), progressive passes per 90 (9.81 vs 8.65), and successful take-ons per 90 (1.28 vs 1.33). Furthermore, these aforementioned figures place both men within the best 19% in Europe’s top five leagues among their positional peers for each of those metrics.
As well as this exemplary ball-playing competence, they also possess excellent and unexpected tenacity, ranking in the top 5% across the continent for tackles per 90.
Therefore, adding someone of this quality would be massive for Chelsea and would mean an exciting reunion with Pochettino.
