With 7 wins in the last 7 games in the Premier League, Antonio Conte’s Chelsea are currently the league leaders as they look to get back to lifting the title after a disastrous 2015-16 season. The Italian manager spent a fortune on new players in the summer transfer window and took just near to 2 months to settle into a lineup that can grind out victories. However, it is evident that Conte wants to add a few players to the squad in January and one player that is extensively linked with a move to the Stamford Bridge is PSG midfielder Marco Verratti.
The 24-year-old Italian midfielder moved to PSG back in 2009 and has slowly established himself in the first team in Paris in the last two seasons. He has 115 appearances for the club and is also an integral part of the national team. He is a hard tackling smart midfielder who loves to have the ball at his feet to control the game. His quick feet and accurate passing allow him to excel even under pressure making him an impact player and at his age, he is slowly growing to become one of the best midfielders in Europe.
He can play as a central midfielder and is adept at controlling the tempo of the game. He is strong with his hold up play and is a player that is not easy to dispossess. Twisting and turning his way through the midfield, Verratti has often provided moments of brilliance for the French outfit over the years and is a quality player in the making.
With N GoloKante taking up a long-term spot in the midfield of the side at Chelsea, Conte is now looking for a partner with similar attributes that can make Chelsea’s midfield even stronger. NemanjaMatic has done a decent job but Conte is looking at a player that can add more to the squad than the Serbian. Verratti can slot into space beside Kante in the central midfield at the Stamford Bridge and can act as the link between the midfield and the attack for the side. This will allow Kante to sit back and play his natural game, providing Chelsea with some more balance to the squad.
Verratti, at his age, will only get better and Conte knows him well in his time with the Italian national team. The duo has already worked together which will make it easier for Verratti to adjust to the challenges in the Premier League and if Chelsea can lure him to the Bridge, he might just make the difference for the Blues in crunch games.
He has 2 goals and an assist in 17 games in all competitions this season and has helped the side to some important victories. It will be interesting to see if PSG are ready to let him go but with European football beckoning next season, Chelsea might need Verratti in their side next season.