Transfer News:
Chelsea’s managerial situation has somewhat been resolved, with former Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri being lined up to replace Antonio Conte at the Stamford Bridge. The change in the boss of the team would result in tweaks in the squad too, and reportedly, Chelsea are already looking to bring in some defensive reinforcements to suit Sarri’s style of play. At Napoli, Sarri had built a balanced, attacking setup according to which he focused on playing the ball out from the back.
They relied on short passes, and the centre-backs were crucial and peripheral to their style of initiating attacks from the defensive line. Sarri is keen to build a setup similar to the one he did in Italy, and hence Daniele Rugani of Juventus is touted to move to Chelsea this summer. With the incoming of Sarri, there would certainly be some influx of Italian players into this Chelsea side.
Rugani: Player Profile
Daniele fits in the bill of the modern centre-back, capable of breaking the midfield lines with his composed and adventurous presence on the ball. He is quick and can play in a high backline, being able to track back the runners and thwart off the danger through some astute reading of the game. He is someone who can link the defence to the midfield and regularly charges ahead to add up as an extra man in the opposition half. Rugani often launches long balls ahead too, having registered 2.3 long passes on an average per game in the Serie A last season.
The 23-year-old remains concentrated in matches, and hardly gets caught off-position when the opposition transitions into attacking scenarios. His tendency to play in tandem with the midfielders, complementing them with some good passes and positioning himself well enough to intercept balls and then stop dead the opposition’s attacking moves make him a very interesting young prospect currently. Last season, according to Whoscored, he played 22 Serie A games and recorded a passing accuracy of 90.9% in the domestic campaign.
Should Chelsea make a move?
Since David Luiz’s ouster from the first-team, and Gary Cahill’s volatile form, it has become apparent that Chelsea do need some good defenders in their roster. Moreover, Sarri brings in an excellent brand of football, but that also means that he requires the services of adequate and appropriate players for the purpose.
Rugani looks like someone who can build the play effectively well, and hence it is important to hire him if Sarri is interested in the player. Chelsea and Conte had fallout because the club was unable to provide Antonio with the required, talented bunch of players that he desired.
The board should ensure that they do not repeat their mistake and hence a move for this lad looks increasingly possible.
