Chelsea: Lampard 'wants to sign Ben Chilwell' says pundit
Chelsea transfer target Ben Chilwell is no better defensively than current Blues left-backs Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri, according to former striker Tony Cascarino. Leicester City and England left-back Chilwell is a top target for Chelsea in this transfer window. However, Leicester are reportedly holding out for as much as £80million for the 23-year-old.
Chelsea are also linked with Spanish full-back Sergio Reguilon, so it is clear head coach Frank Lampard sees it as a position he must strengthen.
Cascarino believes Chilwell is a good player going forward but says it is defensively where Chelsea's issues lie.
And he does not see a great difference between Chilwell and current Stamford Bridge duo Alonso and Emerson in that regard.
“Chilwell is a very good player, a very good footballer but I don’t think he’s the greatest defender, as a left-back, which sort of ticks a few boxes that Chelsea are already suffering with, with Alonso at left-back," Cascarino told talkSPORT.
Chelsea transfer news: Tony Cascarino has doubts over Ben Chilwell's defensive capabilities (Image: GETTY/TALKSPORT)
"He’s probably quite guilty of being far better going one way than the other. Also Emerson.
“It’s a lot of money. I watched him against Watford [in June] and Ismaila Sarr absolutely ran him ragged. I was quite surprised how easily he got the better of Chilwell on the day.
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“Reece James is a great right-back. You can play him in a five and push him on when you want an attacking minded game but Chelsea leak too many goals and their full-backs are very pivotal to the way they play.
"There are a lot of times in games that their full-backs are being exposed and exploited and they’re paying the price.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea are also linked with West Ham midfielder Declan Rice.
And Liverpool great Steve Nicol says Rice would be a top addition for Lampard.
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Chelsea transfer news: Ben Chilwell is Frank Lampard's top left-back target (Image: GETTY)
Nicol told ESPN FC: "I think when you already have N'Golo Kante, if you bring Declan Rice in then you can play all the forwards that seem to be either at Chelsea right now or are going to Chelsea, and by that I mean the likes of Timo Werner who's there and it seems like Kai Havertz is going to be there as well.
"You can play those two - Declan Rice and N'Golo Kante - as two defensive midfielders and let another four ahead of them get after it in the attack."
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