Opinion: Did Chelsea make a mistake in ignoring Nigerian defender?

With the transfer window slowly getting to the serious stages just before the beginning of the new season, Chelsea has delved into the market to fill holes left by departing players and also improve certain positions on the pitch.

Raheem Sterling has arrived to bolster a stuttering attack while Kalidou Koulibaly has arrived to bolster the defensive areas after the departure of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.

The club is still in negotiations to sign Sevilla defender Jules Kounde but face fierce competition from Barcelona.

Looking at the Chelsea squad, it is important to note that there is a need for a refresh with the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso still with question marks over their futures.

In his time at Stamford Bridge, Alonso has won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, Premier League, FA Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup.

The left-back arrived at Stamford Bridge from Italian club Fiorentina, and with his playing style, it is clear that he is sometimes a hindrance to the high line that Thomas Tuchel uses.

Bottom line is, Alonso needs to be replaced and Chelsea may have just made a mistake in their plans to replace him.

Super Eagles full-back Calvin Bassey has had the best season of his life, winning the Scottish Cup, getting to the final of the Europa League with Rangers and then completing a well-earned move to Ajax for a total package of 22 million pounds.

He could have been a great candidate as Alonso's direct replacement and Chelsea may have made a mistake by ignoring this possibility.

Tuchel mainly utilises a 3 centre-back formation with 2 full-backs rampaging down the touchline.

Alonso is behind Ben Chilwell in the pecking order and Bassey would relish fighting it out with the Englishman for a starting place.

He'll also get games as previous Chilwell's ACL injury is not an easy one to come back from.

While Alonso's technical prowess should not be overlooked, his lack of pace and agility were frequently critiqued.

Bassey, on the other hand, is technically proficient and adept at overlapping and underlapping his lines. To top it all off, he's a freakishly gifted athlete who can sprint and run at an impressive rate over short and long distances.

His versatility would have been a blessing in Tuchel's back three as he can function as either a left-sided centre-back or as a wing-back.

For the price Ajax paid for Bassey, it could have been a steal for Chelsea as it would be extremely difficult to get someone of Bassey's quality and age for 22 million pounds. Ignoring Bassey was a mistake.

Sofoluwe Mayowa

Photo Credit : ajax.nl

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