Move over Caicedo: Chelsea could sign their new Cesc in “exceptional” £34m-rated star – opinion
Chelsea are enduring one of their most tumultuous Premier League seasons to date under Mauricio Pochettino this year.
While they currently sit in 12th place – exactly where they finished last season – the Blues feel like a club in crisis, a crisis only made all the more acute following back-to-back losses against Manchester United and Everton.
The two-time European champions have a team stacked with promising young talent, but it just hasn’t clicked yet. Yet, perhaps with the addition of a seasoned topflight performer, it could.
Luckily enough, the west Londoners have recently been linked to Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, who has recently been playing a deeper role akin to where Cesc Fàbregas played the last time the club lifted the Premier League trophy.
Chelsea transfer news – Hakan Calhanoglu
According to Italian publication Tuttosport, Calhanoglu could be on his way out of the San Siro in 2024, and Chelsea and Liverpool look to be the most interested parties.
The 29-year-old has been a vital part of the Nerazzurri’s midfield since he joined the club from local rivals AC Milan as a free agent in 2021.
The Turkish international signed a contract extension until 2027 this summer, meaning the Blues won’t be able to pick him up on the cheap. He is valued at €40m by the CIES Football Observatory, which works out to about £34m.
While it’s not a cheap deal by any stretch of the imagination, it would pale in comparison to some of Chelsea’s recent midfield purchases, and if they pulled the trigger on the Inter man, he could even threaten the place of their £115m man, Moises Caicedo.
However, if the “exceptional” midfielder, as Milan manager Stefan Pioli described, can improve Pochettino’s midfield, it might be worth it.
Hakan Calhanoglu could replicate Cesc Fàbregas at Stamford Bridge
The last time Chelsea won the league was in the 2016/17 season, under the management of Antonio Conte and with an experienced professional at the base of their midfield – Fàbregas.
The Spanish international also played in more central and attacking roles at points throughout the campaign, but his primary role was defensive midfield.
This mirrors Calhanoglu’s time at the San Siro, as when he first joined Inter, he was used as a central midfielder before being used in both central and defensive areas last season, to being used exclusively as a number six this campaign.
His introduction into Chelsea’s youthful and inexperienced side could have the same effect that Fabregas had all those years ago.
Hakan Calhanoglu could replace Moises Caicedo at Chelsea
One player who could lose out following the potential arrival of the Turkish midfielder is Caicedo, who has been used in a defensive midfield role 14 times this season.
Despite joining the club off the back of a massive transfer saga and brilliant campaign last season, it would be fair to say that the Ecuadorian has had a “tough start” in west London; at least, that’s how former Chelsea player Craig Burley described it to ESPN FC.
In his first game for the club, he gave away a penalty, and since then, it’s been hard to describe any of his performances as impressive.
When comparing the underlying numbers of Caicedo and Calhanoglu, it becomes evident that, at least in the short term, the former Milan man would be a massive upgrade.
Ultimately, if Chelsea can sign the “sensational” Calhanoglu, as described by journalist Josh Bunting, they absolutely should, as with him at the base of their midfield, they might just be able to drag themselves out of the abyss they currently find themselves in.
However, any such move could spell the end of Caicedo’s starting role, at least in the short term.