Chelsea Could Make A Move For Versatile Serie A Fullback: Does Lampard Need Him?

Chelsea could reportedly have an opportunity to sign Napoli right-back Elseid Hysaj at the end of the season. Hysaj’s agent has spoken about how his client could leave in the summer.

In a recent interview, Hysaj’s agent revealed that his client wants to leave the Italian club and that if he doesn’t move next summer, Hysaj will leave Naples on a free transfer the following year, when his contract expires. He further stated that Napoli had the opportunity to sell him for €50 million, which was the offer that Chelsea made for him last summer.

Hysaj joined Napoli from Empoli in 2015 for around €5 million. The Albanian has gone on to make over 170 appearances for Napoli, helping the side to two runner-up positions in the Serie A. Elseid Hysaj is the captain of the Albanian national team, making over 45 appearances for his national side since debuting in 2013.

Elseid Hysaj: The ideal right-back for Lampard?

Hysaj is a full-back who can play on both sides but has primarily played as a right-back for Napoli and his national team. The 25-year-old is a player who likes to move the ball quickly, thanks to his accurate passing and vision. Hysaj is tactically very good and is perfect for Napoli’s style of play, where they keep hold of the ball for the majority of the game.

He is a full-back who is strong defensively as well, making tackles and being physically imposing against opposition attackers. Last season, he averaged 1.5 tackles and 1.6 clearances per game in the Serie A, while achieving an 86% pass success rate. He averaged 57.8 passes per game last season, which highlights his impressive control while passing the ball. He is a player that could fit well in Chelsea’s fast-paced attack, although his crossing has to improve quite a bit.

But, do Chelsea really need him? It seems that, at the moment, they don’t. Chelsea’s first-choice right-back this season is captain César Azpilicueta, who has been good in recent games and adds experience to the backline. The Blues also have an exciting young right-back in Reece James, and any new full-back signing could derail his progress.

Perhaps Hysaj could be brought in as a cover for either fullback area with Robert Pattinson lookalike Marcos Alonso approaching the twilight of his time at Chelsea.

Stats Courtesy: Whoscored