Chelsea are strongly considering entering the transfer market for a new centre-back after their plans for the campaign were rocked by the loss of Wesley Fofana to a serious knee injury.
Fofana has undergone surgery after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament and is now expected to miss the majority of the season, if not all of it.
Mauricio Pochettino hopes that Fofana will be able to return before May next year, but Chelsea’s new head coach said the club will now weigh up their options in that position.
Chelsea are also in the market for a central midfielder, with Brighton’s Moises Caicedo their top target, and the loss of Fofana could have an impact on their pursuit of the Ecuadorian.
Brighton have rejected a second offer from Chelsea worth £70 million for the highly rated Caicedo but remain keen on signing Levi Colwill from Chelsea on a permanent basis, following his impressive loan spell at the Amex Stadium last season.
Chelsea have so far shown no interest in including Colwill as part of any deal for Caicedo and their resolve to keep the young centre-back is likely to have been strengthened by the injury to Fofana.
However, Chelsea may have to part with Colwill in order to secure Caicedo’s signature, depending on Brighton’s stance in negotiations.
Fofana’s latest injury continues a horrendous run of bad luck for the centre-back, who broke his leg in the summer of 2021 and missed much of last season due to a knee injury.
“It’s really sad, really bad news,” said Pochettino. “We feel all so sad. All we can do is help him. After that, because he is a player that is important for the team and the squad, of course we now need to think and see if we keep as we are, or if we need to work to maybe add some players.”
Chelsea’s need to strengthen in the heart of the pitch was made clear by their traveling squad for their pre-season tour, which continues with a match against Wrexham in Chapel Hill on Wednesday.
Of their six listed midfielders, three are teenagers and two have never played for the club. Midfielders Jorginho, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have all left Chelsea since the turn of the year.
Meanwhile, Pochettino said he found Dele Alli’s recent interview, in which he revealed his childhood trauma, “too painful” to watch. In an interview with Gary Neville earlier this month, Dele detailed a troubled childhood in which he was molested by a friend of his alcoholic mother.
Asked about his former player, Pochettino told ESPN: “Of course, it was really tough for me to see him. I didn’t finish the interview because it was so painful. He knows how we [Pochettino and his coaching staff] love him, how important he is for us as a person.
“Like a player he was amazing, but like a person he has a big, big heart. And of course, we are in contact. After the USA tour I hope to see him in London, to meet him and give him a big hug.
“Always, it is tough when you love a person but they show in an interview like this, it is really, really painful. But he is a strong, unbelievable guy and for sure he will become stronger.”
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