Why Chelsea Should Splash £50million On This European Defender To Help Conte Defend His Title

Should Chelsea Still Continue To Pursue Alex Sandro From Juventus?

Chelsea were linked with signing Alex Sandro in the summer but the move did not go through. Antonio Conte is understood to have identified the Juventus left-back as an ideal target to strengthen their defence further. With the winter window coming up, the Blues continue to harbour an interest in the defender. This time though, they might be able to land their long-time target. If recent reports are to be believed, Juventus have given Sandro a green light to exit the club.

The player is believed to be unhappy at the club, which could also bring down their asking price from £80million to £50million – a prospect that could entice Chelsea into signing him. The 26-year-old wanted to complete the switch over the summer but due to the steep asking price back then, the Blues chose to walk away. However, with a significantly lower price tag, Chelsea might re-ignite their hopes of landing him in January.

Sandro joined Juventus from Porto back in the summer of 2015. He established himself in the side and became one of the best full-backs in the Serie A. The departure of Patrice Evra from the club allowed him to truly make the post his own and he soon became a regular member to grace the starting XI for the Italian champions. In fact, over the last two seasons, Sandro’s solidity at the back has helped Juve win the title. It does seem like things are great for him at the club but ever since his move to Stamford Bridge fell through, the player has endured tough times.

As far as Chelsea are concerned, they desperately need to strengthen their options on the left. As of now, they have Marcos Alonso as the only recognised senior option. He has been playing almost every single game for them but if he were to succumb to an injury, the Blues will face a serious lack of options. Davide Zappacosta can play as a makeshift left-back but that is not a viable solution.

Conte needs another option in the squad and Sandro does seem like a worthy prospect. After all, he is highly rated as one of the best players in that position. Also, he is 26 years old, which means he is in his prime and has several years of world-class football ahead of him. Hence, given a choice, the Blues could seriously benefit from signing Sandro. Moreover, the player also has ample experience playing as a left wing-back, making him ideal to slot into Conte’s 3-4-3 set-up.