Why Chelsea should go all out to sign Donny van de Beek in January
Highly decorated midfielder Cesc Fabregas left Chelsea last week to join AS Monaco in the Ligue 1. He also made his debut for Monaco in a 1-1 draw at Marseille, offering a struggling Thierry Henry some encouragement.
Over the course of two different spells in England, the first with Arsenal and the second with Chelsea, Cesc Fabregas won numerous titles and carved his name in the Premier League folklore. But the World Cup-winning midfielder has certainly left a gaping hole at Chelsea which manager Maurizio Sarri needs to fill this month.
Sarri should recruit a midfielder as back-up for Jorginho, who has displaced N’Golo Kante from the pivotal holding role. However, Jorginho has struggled lately and looked tired in the 2-1 victory over Newcastle United.
That said, Chelsea must make a move for Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek. A product of the Ajax academy, Donny van de Beek has been in scintillating form this season. In 17 Eredivisie games, he has managed 4 goals and 5 assists, and continues to be an integral part of this Ajax side.
Donny van de Beek, 21, excels in the No.10 role but he can also do a commendable job in a double-pivot or in a three-man midfield. With his sleek passing and inch-perfect long balls, the Dutchman creates opportunities for his teammates in the final third. He has magical feet, which he uses to bamboozle opponents and dictate the play by dropping deeper.
The 21-year-old possesses excellent technique, body control and an eye for pass as he acts as a link between the midfield and the attack. He also helps his team by arriving late in the box to score goals.
Donny van de Beek loves to keep the ball moving around in central areas and his defensive work rate coupled with his agility and composure in front of the goal would make him an asset for Chelsea.
Effective both in the offensive and defensive phase, Van de Beek has all the qualities to assert himself in a more competitive and challenging league like the Premier League. He may not exactly be a like-to-like replacement for Fabregas but his natural abilities could make him a fantastic long-term investment for the Blues.
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With Chelsea being ineffective and blunt in front of the goal, a player like Van de Beek could ignite the missing spark in their attack. Hence, Sarri should do everything in his powers to sign the young Dutchman.