3 defender sales could make Chelsea break their own rules to sign 24 year old | OneFootball

Chelsea are mainly linked with wonderkids and youngsters these days thanks to their transfer policy explicitly targeting players on the rise.

But as we saw with Tosin Adarabioyo last summer, the sporting directors are always willing to bend their self imposed rules in the right circumstances, and given what we’ve seen from the team this year, we might be reaching that point in defence.

The team needs experience and leadership, especially at the back, and former Cobham player Marc Guehi could bring just that. He has 125 top flight appearances at 24 years old, and is becoming an England regular.

If Chelsea don’t want him, there are plenty who do – CaughtOffside today reports that there are 6 teams in the hunt for the central defender.

Crystal Palace will have a huge price in mind, but reports today are that Guehi will ask to leave this summer, gradually starting to ramp up the pressure towards a departure and potentially forcing their hand eventually.

Chelsea need defensive clarity

Marc Guehi playing for Crystal Palace.

Even with Axel Disasi and Trevoh Chalobah likely to leave permanently this summer, the return to fitness of Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana in recent weeks does make Chelsea’s back line feel crowded.

Renato Veiga is likely to return, and if he sticks around next year we can’t see a move for Guehi happening.

A lot will depend on what they make of young players like Aaron Anselmino – is he good enough to be our 4th or 5th choice next season? In that case, someone like Badiashile could be sold to facilitate a Guehi move.

More than anything, we want clarity at the back – Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana are clear first choices when fit and we’d love to add Guehi to that group. But at the moment we have a lot of uncertainty and inconsistency which isn’t helping anyone.