Chelsea have held fresh talks for Aurelian Tchouameni, the 21-year-old who could end up succeeding N’Golo Kante at Stamford Bridge
According to Talk Chelsea’s Simon Phillips on Twitter, Premier League giants Chelsea have held discussions with AS Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni regarding a potential summer switch.
The 21-year-old came through the youth system at Bordeaux before making his first team bow for the French side in 2018. He eventually ended up moving to Monaco in 2020 and has immediately emerged as a key player for the Monegasques.
A defensive midfielder, Tchouameni has already reached 50 appearances for Monaco, scoring and assisting four goals each. He is a top prospect and excelled in the 2020/21 Ligue 1 season, where he stood second for tackles won and fourth for interceptions.
The performances have not gone unnoticed, with both Manchester United and Chelsea keeping a close eye on him. Reliable Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that the Red Devils are not interested in the youngster, paving the way for Chelsea to make their move.
Thomas Tuchel already has arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world in N’Golo Kante. The Frenchman has now entered his 30s, and the club will do well to eye a long-term replacement for him. While Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic can do the job, both lack the dynamism that Kante brings to the field.
Bringing in Tchouameni this summer will add another option for the Blues to count on and permit the player to learn his trade from Kante. A formidable presence in the air, Tchouameni is a player who can also contribute to the attack. Former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas believes the youngster has it in him to evolve into an all-action player in the middle of the park.
Tcouameni scored more goals last season than both Kante and Kovacic put together and made more assists than the trio of Kante, Jorginho and Kovacic combined. He also averaged 1.5 shots per game while also winning 2.5 aerial duels per 90 minutes. To put things into perspective, the Chelsea duo managed just 1.7 shots per game combined and won a total of 1.6 aerial duels every 90 minutes they were on the pitch.
It is clear that if he continues to develop, Tchouameni will surpass the current Blues midfield’s level. A physical presence, the 21-year-old stands over 6ft and is not afraid to get stuck in. While certain refinement is needed, there is every reason to believe he can develop into a top midfielder in the years to come.
The Blues already have several promising young players at their disposal and will do well to add Tchouameni to that list. One option that could be considered is to land the player now and loan him out to Monaco for the rest of the season. It will get Chelsea the player they seek and help him continue his development without curtailing regular playtime.