Reports have stated that Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is looking to reinforce his squad in the January transfer window which reopens in less than two months. Inter Milan midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia is the latest to share the spotlight as reported by Mirror. The 23-year-old is rated as one of most promising talents in the world after securing two big money moves in the space of two years.
Back in 2013, The Frenchman sealed a £20m transfer to Monaco from Sevilla and he regularly reaped up positives reviews, which paved the way for a £31m move to Inter Milan two years later. At the age of 22, he painted a career path that every other player of that age would dream of. However, ecstasy turned agony for the youngster as his performance were below par and looked short of confidence at times with his new club. Hark back to Inter Milan’s deflating 1-1 draw with Bologna, the Frenchman was withdrawn in the 28th minute of the match, as he looked off color.
Adding to the woe, Inter Milan are currently sitting in the 9th spot in the league table, registering only 5 wins out of 12 matches. The team’s meltdown not only witnessed Kondogbia being dropped to the bench, manager Frank De Boer was shown the exit door not long ago.
Now, the biggest question is, why Conte seems to be interested in the hard-hitting player as he won’t come cheap too. First of all, Kondogbia is strong as an OX, has good coverage of the opponent’s offensive movement and throws in tireless tackles to nullify incoming threats, attributes that are assembled to be a part of the Premier League. In other words, his gameplay brings Michael Essien to mind. Another key element is the midfielder’s versatility as he can be employed as a centre-back or left-back too. Reports also suggest that defensive reinforcements are part of Conte’s plan, thus he would be a masterstroke.
Considering the current 3-4-3 strategy that turned the Blues back into title contenders, the deep-lying midfielder spots are operated by Nemanja Matic and N’Golo Kante. A position once engaged by Mikel, who is nearing the final months of his Chelsea career and David Luiz, who occasionally impressed during Mourinho’s spell. Furthermore, Cesc Fabregas might be leaving soon, thus depth is much needed to keep pace at the top of the table. Judging from the previous transfer window and players that are constantly linked to the Blues, Conte is looking for long-term signings too. The Inter Milan midfielder would be a capable deputy for Nemanja Matic on the longer run, who is 28-years-old. Even if the squad is hit by injuries or fitness struggles, Kondogbia’s versatility would be a lethal weapon. After all, it could go down to squad depth on which team would secure the title this season.