Forget Alex Sandro – Alex Telles Will Be A Bargain Buy For Chelsea This January
Chelsea, the reigning Premier League champions, had a slow inception of the new campaign and their inconsistency has almost ruled them out from the title fight as high-flying Manchester City are already 14 points ahead of Conte’s men. The Blues, however, have ended 2017 in 2nd place following a series of poor outcomes from Manchester United that now have seen them slip down to the 3rd spot of the league tally.
The West London heavyweights, meanwhile, had an ambivalent transfer window and despite acquiring a number of new signings, they missed out on several prime transfer targets back in the summer. The Blues are still looking for a fullback who can act as a backup for Marcos Alonso and also challenge him for the starting slot. The Spaniard has been in electrifying form this season, but his defending traits are still under scrutiny.
The arrival of Alex Sandro, who was targeted by the Blues in the summer, would have provided a stiff competition to Alonso for the left wing-back slot. Chelsea currently do not have a proper backup option as both Ola Aina and Baba Rahman are unlikely to hold a future under the former Azzurri boss. Chelsea are also reportedly seeking a move for Porto’s Alex Telles, who has been in decent form since joining the Portuguese heavyweights back in the summer of 2016 from Galatasaray.
The 25-year old Brazilian will cost them around £22m and might prove to be more than just a backup, following some stupendous outings for Porto this season. He has earned a regular status both in the domestic as well as Champions League competitions and impressed with his attacking attributes down the left flank.
He has strong set-piece skills along with passing and crossing traits that suit Conte’s style of play where the wide players play a crucial role. He holds a decent reputation for his defensive work due to his concentration, the awareness to track back, aerial ability and hard work. Although his tackling has been rusty at times, the fullback has shown enough maturity and ability to perform at a bigger stage.
He was linked to a move to Chelsea prior to joining Galatasaray a few years back but the talks broke down as the Brazilian already signed the pre-contract with the Turkish heavyweights. The long-pending move, however, might take place this time and Telles will be a decent addition to the Blues in order for them to be relevant in the Premier League title race and build a decent squad capable of performing in multiple competitions.