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Chelsea signing this Bundesliga defender for £60m would be a powerful statement

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Why David Alaba could be a big statement signing for Chelsea

According to the Mirror (h/t Daily Mail), Chelsea are lining up a sensational £60 million bid for Bayern Munich left-back David Alaba during the January transfer window, with manager Frank Lampard keen to bolster his defensive options. 

As per the report, Lampard is in the mid-season market and he has now set his sights on completing a deal for the 27-year-old, who still has a contract at Bayern Munich until the summer of 2021. 

Alaba, who arrived at Bayern Munich from Rapid Wien back in 2008, has clocked up 361 appearances for the Bavarian giants across all competitions, registering 30 goals and 47 assists in the process. 

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David Alaba has emerged as a shock target for Chelsea in the January window (Getty Images)

The Austrian international has established himself as one of the best defenders in the world over the course of the past decade, winning 17 major silverware with Bayern, including 8 Bundesliga titles and the UEFA Champions League crown. 

The Vienna-born star has made 17 appearances in all competitions so far this season, scoring and assisting one apiece, and Chelsea are keen to make up for lost time in the transfer window with an audacious raid on the Bundesliga champions for one of their prized assets.

The Blues were debarred from registering any new players in the summer due to FIFA’s two-window transfer ban but club-owner Roman Abramovich has handed Lampard a massive £150 million kitty to bolster his squad in January following the club’s successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The left-back department has been identified as a problem position at Stamford Bridge, with the Express suggesting that Lampard has set his sights on Leicester City and England international full-back Ben Chilwell as his prime target. 

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Alaba has won 17 major titles with Bayern over the past decade (Getty Images)

The likes of Marcos Alonso and Emerson have both been in and out of the team this season, with the manager more willing to rely on veteran Cesar Azpilicueta to fill in as a makeshift left-back. 

Having conceded 29 goals in 21 Premier League games so far, Chelsea’s inconsistencies at the back have been called into question numerous times already and a reshuffling of the defensive unit should be a priority if the Blues are to secure a top-four finish.

As per the report from the Express, Alex Telles and Nicolas Tagliafico have been identified as alternatives should a deal for Chilwell fail to materialize, but if the recent transfer development is anything to go by, the fans at Stamford Bridge could be lucky enough to see one of the best left-backs in the world gracing the English top-flight. 

To put things into perspective, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Chelsea are currently crying out for a top-quality left-back and there is hardly anyone better than David Alaba for that role. 

A proven performer at the highest level, Alaba not only has the all-round game to come through the door at West London as an instant upgrade on the likes of Emerson and Alonso but he also boasts of the experience to make an immediate impact in the Premier League. 

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Alaba is widely regarded as one of the best left-backs in the world (Getty Images)

Verdict

Abramovich’s reign at Stamford Bridge has witnessed plenty of blockbuster signings over the years and it is easy to see that the arrival of a world-class left-back like Alaba would go a long way towards transforming Chelsea’s ailing backline into a rock-solid unit. 

One might argue that the Blues would be better off looking at cheaper alternatives in the market but Alaba still has plenty of years remaining in his prime at 27.

Plus, Alaba has the versatility to slot seamlessly into a central defensive role, which could come in handy for Lampard’s squad dynamics. The manager has often switched between a back-four and back-three, meaning Alaba could be a real asset.

With the likes of Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount, Reece James, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Tammy Abraham all establishing themselves in the first-team picture under Lampard, Chelsea already have enough youthful exuberance in their ranks.

It is now time for the Blues to focus on recruiting some experienced heads in order to establish the right kind of balance. 

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All in all, the fans have plenty to look forward to if there is any truth in Chelsea’s links with David Alaba.