Won 22 Of His 32 Attempted Aerial Duels – Is This Danish Star A Worthy Candidate For Conte And Chelsea?

According to recent reports, Chelsea have entered the transfer market to sign Danish defender Simon Kjaer from Turkish club Fenerbahce in the January transfer window. The Turkish giants were quick to decline any such move, but the interest from the Premier League table toppers remains.

Chelsea have been a force to reckon with this term under the new management of Antonio Conte. After having endured a disappointing campaign last season, the Blues have returned to their best under the Italian and are currently occupying the top spot in the Premier League table.

The 3-4-3 system that Conte has used has worked wonders for his side and has been the primary reason for their domination this term. The centre-back trio of Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz and Gary Cahill have been an ever-present for the Londoners this term and have put in some excellent displays. Out of the three centre-halves, Cahill has looked the most vulnerable at times and that is one chink in the armour that Conte would like to rectify.

With John Terry struggling to make it to the starting XI and Branislav Ivanovic also set for a move away from Stamford Bridge, it is natural that Chelsea are looking at an experienced defender in Kjaer.

The 28-year old defender joined the Yellow Canaries ahead of the 2015-16 campaign from French side Lille for a fee of £8 million and has established himself as a key member of the squad. He has been a constant feature in the starting line-up for the Turkish side and has till date missed only 2 games in the Turkish Super Lig.

Known for his no-nonsense aggressive style of defending, the Danish international has made 24 tackles in his 12 appearances in the Super Lig and has achieved success on 13 occasions. Tall and well-built physically, his aerial abilities also are a strong feature in his game. The 28-year old has won 22 of his 32 attempted aerial duels enjoying a success-rate of close to 70%.

Also, a great reader of situations, the former Lille man has made a whopping 40 clearances and 17 interceptions so far, this term and has also made 3 blocks, averaging 5 defensive actions per game in the Turkish top division.

As solid as they come at the back, Kjaer can also play the ball out from the back and can pick a pass with a decent accuracy and can pick out his teammates with long-balls quite frequently. He also offers a great threat in the opposition’s penalty box from set-pieces and also has one goal against him in the Super Lig and two more in the Europa League this term.

At 28, Kjaer his just hitting his peak and if he keeps performing at the current level, he could soon become one of the finest defenders in the game. With his contract running until the summer of 2019, Fenerbahce are in no pressure to sell their star man and Chelsea may have to pay the big bucks to bring the Danish international to the Stamford Bridge, but given his experience and his solid performances, Kjaer could very well prove to be a worthy candidate for Conte and Chelsea.