Chelsea have reportedly made initial contact with AC Milan to sign left-back Theo Hernandez in the January transfer window.
The Blues suffered a big blow when it was confirmed that Ben Chilwell will require knee surgery after damaging his ACL during their 4-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League.
Surgery will rule Chilwell out for the rest of the season, thus, leaving Thomas Tuchel with Marcos Alonso as the only left-back option in his squad.
According to Tuttosport (h/t Football Italia), Chelsea have shown interest in signing Theo Hernandez. The Blues have asked AC Milan about his situation.
However, the Pensioners were told that the French defender is not for sale unless they receive an offer of €60 million or more, the report adds.
Chelsea have asked for information regarding Milan defender Theo Hernandez, but the Rossoneri won’t sell the Frenchman for less than €60m.
– @tuttosport via @footballitalia pic.twitter.com/j3fyZM79QH
— Simon Phillips (@siphillipssport) December 29, 2021
Hernandez, 24, joined AC Milan from Real Madrid in 2019 and has gone on to establish himself as one of the best left-backs in Europe.
He is an integral part of the Rossoneri side under Stefano Pioli and that’s why the Serie A club are striving hard to secure his future by extending his contract until 2026.
Why Chelsea must break the bank to sign Theo Hernandez from AC Milan
Ben Chilwell’s injury has left a huge void at left wing-back for Chelsea, which Marcos Alonso has so far failed to fill. This has hampered the Blues’ form in recent weeks, with Thomas Tuchel’s side falling 10 points behind league leaders Manchester City after their recent 2-2 home draw with Liverpool.
As far as Alonso is concerned, he is good going forward and contributing to the attacks but struggles when it comes to defending, especially in 1v1 situations. An upgrade over the Spaniard is exactly what Tuchel wants, which makes Theo Hernandez a perfect candidate at left wing-back for the Pensioners.
Hernandez is a rampaging left-back blessed with boundless levels of energy, aggression and pace. The France international is physically strong which helps him in shrugging off opponents while marauding forward with the ball at his feet.
He is a good passer of the ball, both in short and long distances, and likes to link up with his teammates in the final third before testing the goalkeeper with powerful shots.
The ex-Real Madrid man, who has a hammer of a left foot, is also handy from set-piece situations and his agility, athleticism and ability to create opportunities from wider areas could make him an asset for Chelsea.
Hernandez, though, has lapses in concentration and concedes way too many cheap fouls in a game due to his aggressive nature of winning the ball back. But under a smart tactician like Tuchel, he could iron out those flaws from his game and polish his positive traits.
All in all, Chelsea must not leave a stone unturned in their pursuit of Hernandez next month, as Tuchel looks to solve his team’s recent defensive problems.