Chelsea are reportedly interested in left-back Layvin Kurzawa but are yet to open talks with Paris Saint-Germain.
The Blues have lost Ben Chilwell for the rest of the season through a long-term knee injury, while youngster Ian Maatsen couldn’t be recalled from his loan with Championship side Coventry City. This has left Thomas Tuchel with only Marcos Alonso available to play at left wing-back.
According to reputed Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Paris Saint-Germain outcast Layvin Kurzawa has chances to arrive in the Premier League amidst interest from Chelsea. As of now, however, the Pensioners are yet to open talks with PSG or the representatives of the French left-back, Romano tweeted.
Kurzawa, 29, has fallen completely out of favour with Mauricio Pochettino at Paris Saint-Germain after the summer signing of Nuno Mendes from Sporting Lisbon. The Frenchman has made just one appearance for Les Parisians so far this season, playing nine minutes in the 1-0 Trophee des Champions final loss to Lille back in August.
Apparently, Thomas Tuchel is keen to reunite with the 29-year-old at Stamford Bridge, having worked with him at PSG.
Layvin Kurzawa to Chelsea—Should the Blues make a move?
Chelsea are down to bare bones in the left-back unit, with Marcos Alonso the only fit player available to Thomas Tuchel at the moment.
However, Alonso has struggled to impose himself at left wing-back in recent times, failing to match up with Ben Chilwell’s combination of offensive and defensive qualities. The Spaniard’s latest poor showing came in Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester City, where he failed to cope with Raheem Sterling on the right flank.
With the FA Cup fourth round and the Champions League last 16 ties set to be played next month, Tuchel simply cannot rely on Alonso at left wing-back. The Pensioners do need another player to compete and cover for Alonso, thereby, making Layvin Kurzawa a viable target.
Kurzawa has played 153 games for PSG since joining from AS Monaco in 2015 but his stock has dipped in the last two years, owing to injury problems and fitness concerns. Despite being fit for the majority of the current campaign, he hasn’t played a single Ligue 1 game. Yet, at 29, the 13-cap France international is more than capable of making an immediate impact at Chelsea if signed.
Quick, strong and aggressive, Kurzawa can slot straight in the left wing-back position at Chelsea. He is an attack-minded full-back who likes to bomb forward and link up with his teammates in the final third. While the ex-Monaco man has lapses in concentration while defending, a three-man Chelsea backline could help in masking his flaws.
Nonetheless, the Pensioners must not hesitate to seek a short-term loan deal for Layvin Kurzawa to boost their full-back options for the rest of the campaign.
