Defence has been one of Chelsea’s primary weaknesses this season. That was on full display once again at the weekend, as they could not win against a struggling Burnley side. Liam Rosenior’s side led until the 93rd minute but finished with a 1-1 draw.
Of course, the attack deserves criticism for managing to score just once against the worst defence in the Premier League. Yes, Burnley have conceded even more than Wolves this season.
At the same time, sometimes, you just need to see out games like this. The Chelsea defence could not do that. Wesley Fofana picked up a red card. And then, the Blues could not keep Burnley at bay for the remaining 25 minutes or so.
One would imagine that a commanding centre-back would solve a lot of issues for this current Chelsea side. Enzo Maresca had asked for an addition in defence in the summer itself after Levi Colwill got injured. That request was not met. And in the winter, they brought back Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg, while cutting short Aaron Anselmino’s loan spell at Borussia Dortmund, only to send him to the French club.
Chelsea need to sign a top quality centre-back
Chelsea will need to strengthen their centre-back ranks in the summer, no matter how this season ends. It is very clear that the likes of Trevoh Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo and a few others are not good enough to be starting for the Blues. Also, one has to wonder what kind of long-term effect the ACL injury will have on Colwill’s game.
Fortunately, it looks like a quality centre-back is on their radar. He has been linked with Chelsea for a while. Signing him might not be straight-forward though.
According to Football Insider, Chelsea are the current frontrunners to sign Murillo ahead of their Premier League rivals. Nottingham Forest are set to demand over £70 million for his transfer.
Murillo could be an excellent signing for Chelsea
Murillo has been considered one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League for quite a while. Unsurprisingly, he has been linked with the top sides in England.
Someone like Murillo has the potential to be an excellent signing for Chelsea and exactly what they need right now. A lot might end up depending on where the Blues finish though.
If someone like Murillo leaves Nottingham Forest, Champions League football could surely play a factor. So, let’s hope that Chelsea end up qualifying for the competition. Their hopes seem shaky based on current form.
