Chelsea are looking to bolster their backline in the coming transfer windows as they aim to build upon their strong start to life under Enzo Maresca.
Maresca the right man for the job?
Though sacking Mauricio Pochettino at the end of the 2023/24 campaign was a surprise decision given their eventual sixth-place finish, Chelsea’s start to the new Premier League season hints that it may well turn out to be an inspired one.
A 4-2 win over Brighton launched them into fourth place in the Premier League, just a point behind Arsenal and Manchester City and two behind Arne Slot’s fast-starting Liverpool.
With the youngest squad in the top flight, Maresca may have been harsh in some areas of the squad, as Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka will attest, but he appears to be getting a tune out of the players he allows to train as part of the first team.
But Chelsea’s recent transfer policy suggests that he will likely be welcoming new faces into his ranks sooner rather than later, with the Blues having signed more players and spent more money than any other Premier League club since Todd Boehly took charge of the club two years ago.
With two new additions already set to join next summer in the shape of Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez, there is another player that the Blues are keeping a very close eye on ahead of a potential future move.
Chelsea keen to return for defender
Transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Chelsea are one of the sides keeping a close eye on Benfica youngster Tomas Araujo as they look to add more quality to their backline.
The defender still has four years left on his £9,300-a-week deal in Portugal, but has caught the eye of several Premier League clubs in his short time in professional football.
Performance analyst Jack Fawcett claimed on X that the defender has an “elite” skillset including “passing range, comfortability stepping into midfield, calmness under pressure and carrying”, akin to the role that Levi Colwill currently plays for Maresca’s side.
Crystal Palace submitted a bid to sign the centre-back over the summer following the exit of Joachim Andersen, but Benfica opted to keep him at the club rather than cash in.
And they were not the only side to try to tempt Benfica into selling the 22-year-old, with Romano revealing in his most recent column that Chelsea were also keen.
“Araujo in particular is a player Chelsea really like, and they tried for him in the final weeks of the summer transfer window. At that time, Benfica didn’t want to sell the player, but he remains someone on Chelsea’s radar, and they are also scouting [Castello] Lukeba, but at this moment, it’s too early to predict where he’s going.” Romano explained.
Having already seen one approach knocked back, it seems likely that Chelsea will be continuing their pursuit of the defender should he become available, with the Portugal U21 international a man in demand.
