Chelsea have now joined the race for a Champions League defender, but there could be competition from Premier League rivals Fulham.
The Blues’ need to strengthen the defence was underlined in the 1-0 defeat against Sunderland on Sunday, with Enzo Le Fee’s first-half penalty proving to be the difference between the sides, after Levi Colwill brought down Brian Brobbey in the area.
After the game, Xabi Alonso was critical of his side’s output at both ends of the pitch, saying: “Not happy with how we defended that situation. Something that we could avoid, something that we had worked on during the week, and from that action to give a penalty is not good from us.”
“We didn’t produce enough to deserve to win. We were against the low block. We missed a bit of patience, a little bit of quality, creativity in the last third to create more chances.”
Despite losing two of their last three Premier League matches, Alonso’s side remain fifth in the table, but the most recent result may be particularly alarming, given that the Black Cats were bottom of the table prior to the game.
Colwill has received criticism for his performance, but the Englishman has been attracting interest from some top clubs, with FC Barcelona eyeing a move ahead of the January transfer window.
|
Chelsea’s current centre-backs |
Age |
Contract expiry |
|
Maxence Lacroix |
26 |
2032 |
|
Levi Colwill |
23 |
2029 |
|
Wesley Fofana |
25 |
2029 |
|
Josh Acheampong |
20 |
2029 |
|
Aaron Anselmino |
21 |
2031 |
As such, the Blues may have to enter the market for a new centre-back this winter, and they have now joined the race to sign a Ligue 1 star.
Chelsea join Fulham in race for Ismaelo Ganiou
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Chelsea have joined the race for Lens defender Ismaelo Ganiou, who has been compared to legendary former Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane.
However, the west Londoners are far from alone in their pursuit of the centre-back, with Fulham, Brentford and Newcastle United also keen, alongside a number of top clubs from across Europe.
Pundit Walid Acherchour has been left very impressed by the 21-year-old’s performances this season, saying after Lens 1-0 victory against Paris Saint-Germain: “Ismael Ganiou is such a monster. His anticipation, the personality he displays even playing with ten men against a two-time European champion… it’s audacious.”
A modern defender, the youngster is particularly adept in possession of the ball, averaging 59.2 accurate passes per 90 in Ligue 1 this season, which is the highest number in the Lens squad.
The Frenchman, who earns £46,000-a-week, has started to test himself in the Champions League this season, making two appearances in the competition, and scout Jacek Kulig believes he will play at that level for many years to come.
As such, should the Blues continue to struggle from a defensive point of view, Ganiou could be an excellent addition to Alonso’s squad.
