Chelsea eyeing Ryan Bertrand move in order to address current injury problems
According to Leicestershire Live, Chelsea are interested in a reunion with Leicester City star Ryan Bertrand amid a massive injury crisis.
The former Chelsea academy player joined Brendon Rodgers’ side last summer. However, he has failed to capitalize on the chances provided to him. The 32-year-old has only featured in 11 games across all competitions, including only 4 Premier League matches.
Chelsea sold Ryan Bertrand to Southampton in 2015 after a series of loan spells at various cubs. However, It is believed that the West London team are eying to bring the defender back to the club amidst the injury crisis.
Thomas Tuchel has recently found himself in hot waters following setbacks to key players. The German manager is without both his first-choice full-backs. Ben Chilwell has been out since November and is now out for the season. Reece James suffered an injury in the final week of December and has missed the last few games.
Tuchel’s only two viable options for the full-back positions are club captain César Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso. Without quality backup, the German manager faces a massive concern in the wing-back spot for the coming weeks.
On top of that, Andreas Christensen is also sidelined while Thiago Silva’s return is uncertain after the Brazilian missed the last match against Tottenham. Therefore, Tuchel doesn’t have the luxury o depth at least as far as his backline is concerned.
Bertrand and Chelsea go a long way back. In 2012, the then youngster started for Chelsea in the left midfield against Bayern Munich during the Champions League final. The English left-back has 57 appearances across all competitions in the Blues jersey. Therefore, the connection is already there, and the player has detailed knowledge about the West London club.
More Chelsea News
- “Outclassed”- Some fans react as Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 at Stamford Bridge
- Chelsea “increasingly interested” in 21-year-old midfield prodigy ahead of summer transfer window
- Transfer News: Milan enter the race for 28-year-old Chelsea superstar amidst contract uncertainty
Even though Bertrand doesn’t provide a long-term solution at the age of 32, he could indeed make an impact in the short term. On the other hand, Chelsea could scintillate the transfer for a low price. However, a loan move seems the best option in the current scenario. But the Blues board have to work fast because, without quality depth, the team could struggle to cope with the hectic schedule.