Chelsea have been in poor form in recent weeks, taking just six points from their last seven games. That run includes defeats to the likes of Ipswich, Fulham and Manchester City, as well as draws with Everton, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth.
This string of poor results coincided with the departures of two key centre-backs in December, with Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashle both injured.
Levi Colwell partnered Fofana for most of the season until the festive break, which kept the Blues second in the Premier League.
But Enzo Maresca’s side are in trouble after losing Fofana and Badyashler, who appears to be Colwell’s next partner.
That could put Blues directors on red alert as a huge dip in form has derailed their season and defensive solutions will be their top priority, whether that be this month or the summer.
Chelsea looking for Premier League defender
according to Reporting by Fabrizio RomanoIt is understood that Bournemouth’s Dean Huizen has a release clause in his contract, which will take effect in the summer of 2025.
It was further revealed that Chelsea are said to be “very fond” of Whison, who is high on their list of potential targets at the back.
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Bayern Munich have also requested information on the 19-year-old, who could face stiff competition for Spanish centre-back this summer after an excellent start to the Premier League season with Bournemouth.
Hueyson has Since joining the Cherries this summer, he has made 19 appearancesScored two goals, contributed five clean sheets, and played a total of 1,330 minutes.
How does Huijsen compare to Fofana
Fofana you have 12 appearances for the Blues so far this seasonHe contributed three clean sheets and played a total of 1,017 minutes before going down with a recent hamstring injury.
The Frenchman is often called upon to be aggressive against the opposition’s best players, looking to win duels and make them uncomfortable, knowing that if he is beaten he still has the recovery speed to catch up to his opponent.
Dean Huijsen vs Wesley Fofana comparison | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (per 90 minutes) | Huizen | breathe |
try pass | 54.7 | 60.8 |
Pass completed | 46.5 | 54.9 |
Pass accuracy % | 85.1% | 90.25% |
forward pass | 22.4 | 18.5 |
Tackle | 1.7 | 1.2 |
intercept | 2.2 | 1.1 |
Building Blocks | 1.5 | 0.8 |
Win the air duel | 2.7 | 2.1 |
Win the ground duel | 4.7 | 5.2 |
Statistics taken from Squaka | ||
When comparing the two defenders’ numbers this season, you can see that Huizen has outperformed Fofana from a defensive action perspective, when you take into account the Frenchman’s role of marking the opposition’s best attacker. time, this is a huge positive.
Passing metrics favor Fofana, but you could argue that this is largely due to style of play, as Whison is often asked to go more direct, as shown by his forward passing numbers.
Whison was tagged Known as “one of the most talented teenage CBs in Europe” Further described by scout Jacek Kulig as Sky Sports’ Joe Tomlinson’s Sky MonsterHe has shown a maturity far beyond his years at Bournemouth this season.
Additionally, the 6-foot-5 center back has the physical frame to compete in a variety of contests, while also possessing the composure and football IQ beyond his years to read the game and be in the right place at the right time.
The 19-year-old already has all the fundamentals of a good center back and with time to develop and a slight upper body strengthening to help him in 1v1 duels with physical forwards, he will definitely improve further which could make He is the perfect partner for Colwell moving forward, a partnership that can grow together and complement each other in a possession-based system.
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