Chelsea have expressed interest in signing Bournemouth centre-back Marcos Senesi, the club said Transfers.
The Blues were dealt a major blow after Levi Colwill suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the start of the season.
Although Wesley Fofana and Nathaniel Chalobah have been virtually flawless as first choice this season, the club has suffered the consequences of not strengthening the position with an additional experienced, reliable centre-back, as Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoit Badiashile have both underperformed when called upon.
As a result, the Blues explored an option for a new centre-back in the recently concluded summer transfer window, pursuing Rennes’ Jeremy Jacquet before being trumped by Liverpool for the Frenchman’s signature.
The Blues remain keen to strengthen their centre-backs and are exploring options for next summer.
One option they are considering is Bournemouth’s Senesi, said Transferswho claims Chelsea have shown an interest in the 6ft 4in centre-back.
The Blues have made strengthening their backline a ‘top priority’ and the manager, Liam Rosenior, has labeled the Argentine centre-back as the ‘ideal candidate’ to strengthen their defense due to his Premier League experience, the report said.
‘Ideal candidate’
Despite Bournemouth’s attempts to extend his contract at the Vitality Stadium, the report adds that negotiations have stalled and his departure now looks increasingly likely, with Chelsea looking to exploit the situation as a market opportunity.
With over a hundred Premier League appearances, Senesi would be a sensible option to add to their current roster of young centre-backs.
The 28-year-old, rated at 19 meters through Transfer marketis one of the most progressive passers not only in the Premier League but also in Europe, with his 77 passes into the penalty area ranking third among centre-backs, behind only Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni (93) and Juventus’ Pierre Kalulu (77).
He also has a successful passing accuracy of 77.3% and a sky-high 123 long balls. Despite playing in the deepest position on the pitch, the towering centre-back created 20 chances and six big chances in the competition.
In defensive parts of the game, Senesi has won 120 ground duels, 54 aerial duels and made 183 clearances. The Argentine will be the subject of a major transfer battle next summer, with Chelsea facing competition from Crystal Palace, Everton and AS Roma, the report claims.
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