Chelsea are still chasing highly rated Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan as they look to begin their summer spending.
The ‘Ninja’ has had a fantastic season in Serie A and has attracted attention from a host of English clubs – none more than the Blues who are looking to reinforce after a dismal last campaign in which they finished 10th in the Premier League.
After last summer’s unsuccessful recruits – which included an hit-and-miss Pedro, a leaky Asmir Begovic and a misfiring Radamel Falcao – the signing of Nainggolan would be a step in the right direction for the club, who may struggle to attract big names this time out due to the lack of European football next campaign.
If a move for the Belgian international were to happen, it would almost certainly be after Euro 2016.
With only 10 days to go until the start of the tournament, alongside the difficulties in luring the £35 million rated 28-year-old to Stamford Bridge, incoming Chelsea manager Antonio Conte will have to play the waiting game.
A good European Championship’s for the former Cagliari man however could see his value sky-rocket, and make securing his services all the more difficult.
With Chelsea’s financial power however, a move would certainly still be on the cards, so here is what our landlord at the Transfer Tavern thinks would be the pros and cons of the Ninja’s arrival in Southwest London ……..
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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE 2 PROS And 2 CONS!
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PRO
Conte Player
Nainggolan is an embodiment of what an Antonio Conte player should look like.
No-nonsense, hard tackling, positionally sound and with a taste for the spectacular, the Belgian would have slotted in nicely at Conte’s Juventus and even his current Italy side.
Gennaro Gattuso springs to mind when thinking of a comparison for the Roma midfielder. A real midfield warrior.
CON
Is He Needed?
Chelsea already have a number of defensive midfielders on their books.
Nemanja Matic – despite having a dismal season – is undoubtedly talented and if he can replicate the form he did during Chelsea’s 2014/15 title winning campaign then the Blues would be jumping for joy.
John Obi Mikel has also been a steady figure at the Bridge for the past decade, Cesc Fabregas is more than capable of filling that hole despite preferring a role further forward, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also coming through the ranks and keen to prove a point.
PRO
Fire in the Belly
One thing the Blues lacked until perhaps the final etchings of the season is passion.
Especially during the start of the campaign under new Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, Chelsea looked a defeated side who on numerous occasions failed to turn up at all.
It wasn’t until Diego Costa’s and more recently Eden Hazard’s resurgence that Chelsea looked like a side who had a fire in their belly. Nainggolan, with his high work rate and energetic, dynamic defensive work could give the Blue’s the desire they lacked for much of the last outing.
CON
What about the future?
At 28, Nainggolan is hardly past it, but he is no spring chicken either, and the Belgian may have only 2-3 seasons of football at the top level left in him.
While his signing may inject a burst of energy and world class talent into Chelsea’s midfield, it represents only a short term solution to a problem which needs to be addressed in the long term.
Giving Chelsea’s younger players – who have enjoyed unprecedented success in recent years – may be a more sustainable option.
