Our Chelsea fans here in the Transfer Tavern are expecting a couple of ins and out in the summer to somewhat refresh the Blues going forward. Indeed, while this season hasn’t been a complete disaster, things certainly need freshening up.
First on the list of many of the regulars in the bar, is Gary Cahill. The defender has had a terrible season so far and hasn’t looked the same type of player since taking over the armband from his predecessor John Terry, with Old Father Time looking like catching up with him.
Maybe our barman is right and the pressure of following such a great captain is too much for him to handle. Indeed, Chelsea have looked a better team and have taken more points when the England man is not in the side, an unthinkable idea in recent seasons.
That stat speaks volumes as to where he’s currently at and being at 32-years of age, it’s only a matter of time before a younger, quicker model comes along to replace him.
With that in mind, our landlord takes a look at TWO potential replacements for the former Bolton man in the summer…
Milan Skriniar
The Slovakian defender is currently playing in Serie A with Inter Milan, proving a revelation in their backline since joining. He’s a consistently high performer and one of the leagues best tacklers, surely attracting interest from more lucrative leagues.
He has the aerial ability to command a box alongside a knack for a goal, which will be needed to replace Cahill’s goal-getting over the seasons. Skriniar loves to get the ball down and play it from the back, which would suit Chelsea’s style of play.
Timo Baumgartl
Timo Baumgartl is a 21-year-old centre-back playing for Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart. He doesn’t possess the eye for the goal just yet, though his aerial battles outshine that of Skriniar and he’d bring some brute strength to Chelsea’s backline be it a two or three man set-up.
He loves to tackle and is an all-action defender, even at this tender age. Our landlord highly recommends him as one for the future and Chelsea would be daft not to look across tot he German league for this hidden gem.
