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Chelsea look like they will finally add another signing to their squad this summer, with Leicester City’s Danny Drinkwater closing in on a move.
Valued at £40million by Leicester, Chelsea are readying a second bid of around £35million, which may be enough for a player that was left out of the clubs season opener against Arsenal on Friday night.
Drinkwater is viewed as a replacement for Nemanja Matic, as Chelsea look to add some depth to their midfield options after Matic’s departure left them very thin on the ground. This hasn’t been helped by the fact that Tiémoué Bakayoko, the clubs new signing from Monaco, is currently injured.
Drinkwater’s arrival will give the club several senior options in central midfield, with N’Golo Kante, Bakayoko, Cesc Fabregas and Drinkwater all competing for two positions. But with the added stress of Champions League football set to take its effect on the squad, Conte will certainly be looking forward to having several options in a physically demanding position.
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We know the team have the quality to win the league and beat any team in the league, but with no European football last season, the squad depth was never really tested. Flying around Europe and playing those extra games seriously takes its toll on players and often massively increases the probability of a muscular injury occurring.
What will be interesting is whether or not Drinkwater can replicate his title winning form of two seasons ago, because if he can’t, then £35million is an awful lot for a player that has done very little with his career aside from that season. Is he really good enough to start for Chelsea? Personally I don’t think so – which means he isn’t worth close to the £40million Leicester value him at. But the current market is crazy and Chelsea are in a position where they need extra bodies, though I do think they could be doing better with that money.
