Enzo Maresca will have options in central defence when he begins work at Chelsea.
The 44-year-old is taking over from Mauricio Pochettino as manager, with The Athletic reporting that he will soon be announced as the new Chelsea boss.
Thiago Silva will not be at the club next season, but Maresca will still have Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi and Levi Colwill as centre-back options.
Fulham’s Tosin Adarabioyo is set to join the Chelsea ranks as well.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently shared how the Blues convinced Adarabioyo to join them over Newcastle United.
Jason Cundy on Chelsea’s potential centre-back pairing next season
This season, Chelsea have had a lot of injury problems.
Fofana did not even play a single minute of football under Pochettino. However, if the Frenchman can remain fit next term, Jason Cundy reckons he will start in central defence alongside one of the other centre-back options at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking about Fofana on talkSPORT (03/06/2024 07:55), the former Chelsea defender said: “You know the big one? Fofana. He is the one. He can’t stay fit.
“£60m from Leicester, has had his injury problems, done his ACL I believe last pre-season, didn’t play a minute under Poch, not even a second under Poch. So he has got to get himself fit. In that centre-half area, if everyone is fit, you will have thought Fofana and another.”
Will Wesley Fofana be Chelsea’s first-choice centre-back next season?
At some point, Fofana needs to get a proper run in the team.
He is one of Chelsea’s most expensive ever signings and a very good defender.
Discussing the Frenchman a couple of years ago, his former manager Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports: “He is an absolutely phenomenal talent.”
In his final full season at Leicester City, Fofana won three aerial duels per game in the Premier League, which was the second-highest average in his squad, according to WhoScored. He did, however, only manage to play seven matches because of injury.
Nevertheless, it shows that the France international is good in the air and what he could bring to Chelsea next term. Even if it is only temporarily, Fofana may become Chelsea’s first-choice centre-half at some point. Having invested so much money in the former Leicester man, the club are going to want to see him play.