Target list: Chelsea have seven names in mind to strengthen key area this January

Chelsea reportedly have a long list of transfer targets in defence this January, with as many as seven names in mind at centre-back.

According to Simon Phillips, those names are: Benfica duo Tomas Araujo and Antonio Silva, Bournemouth pair Dean Huijsen and Illia Zabarnyi, Ousmane Diomande of Sporting Lisbon, Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace, and Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo.

Chelsea might even recall Trevoh Chalobah this January if they can’t get any other deals done, according to the report, with the Blues keen to ensure they have enough depth at the back.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca currently has a few options in defence, but Wesley Fofana is injured and doesn’t have the best fitness record in general, while others like Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile haven’t performed as expected.

Tosin Adarabioyo joined CFC in the summer and has done alright when he’s made it into the team, but it seems he hasn’t earned the trust of Maresca as he’s not been a regular.

Who are Chelsea’s defensive targets?

Chelsea could do well to improve their depth and all-round quality in the centre-back position, with the likes of Silva, Diomande and Huijsen all among the finest young defenders in the game at the moment.

Enzo Maresca is WORRIED about two Chelsea players!

Silva and Araujo have both impressed at Benfica and one imagines they’re two players the club will struggle to keep hold of, as they’ve so often had their star names poached in the past, including, of course, Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea.

The likes of Guehi and Huijsen have the advantage of being proven in the Premier League, so could be good options, but one imagines it might cost more to sign them from rival English clubs.

Some Chelsea fans might also feel pretty content with recalling Chalobah from his loan at Crystal Palace.

The 25-year-old has performed well at Selhurst Park this season and hadn’t really done a lot wrong at Stamford Bridge either, looking a bit unlucky to be offloaded in the summer.

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