Chelsea could face fresh competition from Liverpool in the pursuit of David Neres; it has been claimed.
The Blues are among the clubs interested in the services of the Brazilian attacker, who has impressed for Ajax this season – as reported by Express.
It is believed that Neres could cost around £35 million in the upcoming summer transfer window, which is barely a snip in the market for Premier League clubs these days.
David Neres to Chelsea: A bargain signing for the Blues
Neres’ potential addition to Chelsea could be hugely beneficial for the club for several reasons. The West London giants have already struggled with their lack of depth in the attacking department this season.
Eden Hazard has been the only spark for the Blues, who, otherwise have relied on the services of two ageing wingers in Pedro and Willian. But, with the Belgian’s future massively uncertain, the addition of a new attacker could be imperative, despite the impending arrival of Christian Pulisic. Therefore, Neres is a viable target.
The 22-year-old has enjoyed a fruitful campaign under Erik ten Haag this season, having been involved in as many as 27 goals in 50 matches in all competitions. He has also been crucial in Ajax’s sensational run in the Champions League, notably scoring the equalizer against Juventus in the first leg of the semi-final.
As far as his gameplay is concerned, Neres is mostly known for his excellent dribbling. He has averaged 2.7 dribbles per game this season with a success rate of 66%. His ability to drift past opponents helps him to not only create chances in the final third but also squeeze through tight defences, which could be a useful asset in the Premier League where Chelsea can expect a number of teams to sit deep against them.
More importantly, however, Neres has become a tactically versatile attacker under the tutelage of ten Haag this season. The Brazilian often looks to switch places in the wide-attacking positions and can also operate as a false-nine. This could be extremely useful for Sarri, who has lacked the tactical versatility from the likes of Pedro and Willian.
However, with Chelsea still facing a nasty transfer ban that will restrict them from signing any players in the next two transfer windows, it is still unclear whether or not they will be able to complete the transfer this summer. Chelsea’s latest setback came in the form of FIFA Appeal Committee upholding the ban and now the club will have to move to the CAS looking for a stay on the ban for at least one transfer window.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
