Chelsea linked with £70m-rated Serie A centre-back: Pros and Cons of a potential move

According to The Sun(via Talksport), Chelsea have joined the race to sign Milan Skriniar in the upcoming January transfer window. The Inter Milan defender has been linked with a move away from San Siro, after being left frustrated due to his lack of wage increment.

As a result, a host of top clubs across Europe, including Chelsea have been alerted to his current situation at Inter and a big money move could be on the horizon.

In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of Skriniar’s potential move to Stamford Bridge.

Pros

Milan Skriniar is highly regarded as one of the best centre-backs in European football, largely thanks to his exquisite ball-playing abilities.

Indeed, the Slovakian international has averaged over 65 passes per game with an impressive accuracy of 93.6% – more than what any other Chelsea player has managed this season. This could be ideal given Chelsea’s possession-based gameplay under Maurizio Sarri.

Although David Luiz has emerged as a surprise fit under the Italian international, it is unlikely to last long with the Brazilian already showing signs of weaknesses, of late. Therefore, Skriniar can be an ideal replacement for the former PSG star.

The 23-year-old can be the perfect partner to Antonio Rudiger, who is much more robust and defence-minded, giving Chelsea an extra dimension in regards to their defensive gameplay.

Furthermore, Skriniar is an excellent reader of the game as well and isn’t afraid to move out of position in order to block passing lanes – making him a tailor-made fit for Sarri’s tactical philosophy.

Cons

No player is perfect and Skriniar is no exception. The biggest issue regarding the Slovakian international’s gameplay is his lack of pace. Skriniar is an extremely slow operator, who takes his time with the ball, running the risk of being stripped of possession.

Although his forward passes are close to perfection, he certainly needs to act quicker in order to thrive in the fast-paced nature of the Premier League.

In addition, Skriniar, despite being an excellent choice, is sure to attract a huge price-tag, with Inter Milan already hoping for something around the £70 million mark. This is an absurd fee and on face value, it is no less than a gamble.

Therefore, Chelsea could be running the risk of facing a huge loss should the Inter Milan star fail to impress in the Premier League. Having said that, Skriniar is undoubtedly a talented operator and under the leadership of Maurizio Sarri, very few would bet against the 23-year-old making a mark in England, given time to settle.

Stat courtesy: Whoscored