Chelsea could be set to make changes to their defense this January as Fabrizio Romano has named Marc Guehi and Tomas Araujo as prized players at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking exclusively to Caught offside for a video update on the Daily Briefing, Romano explained that Chelsea have had internal discussions about their options in defense this January.
Crystal Palace defender Guehi is a name prized by the Blues, while Benfica’s Araujo has also been on the radar since the summer, according to Romano.
Chelsea’s €65m transfer target is expected to move imminently
Both deals look complicated, however, and another option for Chelsea could be to take Trevoh Chalobah off his loan at Crystal Palace, as they have a clause that allows them to terminate the deal early.
Marc Guehi or Tomas Araujo at Chelsea?
Guehi has shone in the Premier League so he looks ideal for CFC, but Araujo is another big talent who could have a bright future at the highest level in a more competitive league.
Chelsea will still have to decide how much they can spend this winter, however.
“Chelsea are considering their options for new signing in the central position this January, there’s a definite possibility they’ll bring in a new signing in defense because of injuries,” Romano said.
“Chelsea have Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana out, so the Blues are scouting the market… They could go for a different centre-back, a player for the present and the future.
“One player Chelsea like is Marc Guehi – could be a possibility, which has already been discussed and considered internally by Chelsea.
“However, from what I’m told, it’s still not an easy deal to do because it could be expensive, and Chelsea still have to decide internally how much they want to spend to fill that position.
“For sure, though, Guehi is valued, and he has 18 months left on his contract at Crystal Palace, so we’ll see what Chelsea decide to do.
“Tomas Araujo at Benfica is another player Chelsea appreciate, they already wanted him last summer.
“But at the moment Benfica is not yet opening the door to a general exit. Let’s see if the situation will change, but at the moment I have no news about Araujo”.
