Chelsea watched with mixed feelings as Marc Guehi produced a fabulous defensive performance for England in their Euro 2024 opener against Serbia, winning 1-0.
The Three Lions, largely, flattered to deceive in an uninspiring and unconvincing display, but Guehi played very well indeed, with his slick passing game, industrious movements and steely defensive style allaying English fears that the backline would be their undoing in Germany.
Minutes played
90'
90'
Touches
60
73
Accurate passes
51/53 (96%)
60/64 (94%)
Possession lost
3x
4x
Long balls
1/2
2/4
Tackles
1
1
Clearances
2
6
Shots blocked
1
0
Ground duels won
1/1 (100%)
1/2 (50%)
Aerial duels won
1/3 (33%)
4/4 (100%)
Fouls committed
0
1
There was a degree of cohesive fluency in the respective styles of Guehi and Manchester City's John Stones that spoke of the former's long-term suitability in his nation's rearguard.
Chelsea, quite possibly, rue selling him to Crystal Palace for £18m in 2021, with the 23-year-old now one of the hottest prospects in England as he faces a summer of transfer chatter – Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are all eyeing the Crystal Palace titan, who is now valued at £50m.
Despite the urgency to bolster the backline at Stamford Bridge – despite the already-completed signing of Tosin Adarabioyo – Guehi doesn't look likely to be making an emotional return.
Still, while he would be a brilliant addition to Enzo Maresca's outfit, Chelsea might actually do one better and sign an even bigger talent.
Chelsea lining up Euro 2024 star
According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are tussling with rivals Tottenham Hotspur for the signing of Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori, who is valued at €35m (£30m).
The Italy star is interested in reuniting with former manager Thiago Motta – who swapped Bologna for Juventus this summer – but if a move to Turin fails to materialise, he would be eager to hear offers from the Premier League.
While the clubs have held initial talks to bring the 22-year-old over to English shores, it's unlikely that anything dramatic will occur before Italy concludes their football in Germany over the next month.
Why Chelsea are interested in Riccardo Calafiori
Bologna eclipsed expectations under Motta in Serie A last season, historically qualifying for the Champions League after finishing fifth (Italy were awarded an extra qualifying spot after finishing first in the coefficient rankings).
Calafiori, in no small part, played a starring role in the success. Bologna shipped just 32 goals across 38 matches (the third-best tally in the division) and the Italian featured 30 times, starting 26 games, scoring two goals and providing five assists.
He was also immense during Italy's victory over Albania in their Euro 2024 opener on Saturday evening, producing an all-encompassing performance that denoted his expertise in a modern defensive role.
Minutes played
90'
Touches
117
Accurate passes
99/106 (93%)
Key passes
1
Long balls
2/4
Dribble attempts
2/2
Tackles
1
Clearances
3
Left-footed and growing into the archetypal defender for a team such as Chelsea – possession and those who can control the flow will be of the utmost importance to Maresca – Calafiori would be a brilliant addition.
However, he would be unable to gel into the west London fold without stepping on a few toes. Levi Colwill, for example, effectively plays the same kind of role as his Italia counterpart, and the Bologna man might even be the better of the two.
Why Calafiori could be an upgrade on Levi Colwill
Calafiori is truly shaping into one of the finest and most complete centre-halves on the continent, and if Bologna's rumoured asking price of £30m carries truth then it would be quite the coup for Chelsea.
As per FBref, the 6 foot ace ranks among the top 1% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for passes attempted, the top 19% for progressive carries, the top 8% for successful take-ons and the top 4% for interceptions per 90.
This is a clear illustration of his creative prowess, something that could eclipse Colwill in one of the Englishman's finest facets, ranking among the top 21% of centre-backs for assists and the top 11% for shot-creating actions per 90 himself.
Colwill, like Calafiori, is a natural centre-back with an athletic style that has seen him play out at left-back. While Maresca's side, who are returning to European competition, will need depth, Calafiori's multi-skilled style suggests that he could emerge as the cream of the Chelsea crop.
There is no question that Colwill and the above-discussed Guehi are fine defenders but Calafiori is simply shaping into the most complete of the lot. Guehi, while an excellent and composed defender, suffers from a lack of command in the air.
Duels per game
1.2
1.9
2.0
Success rate
50%
69%
71%
Colwill and Calafiori – who has been described as an "aerial monster" by analyst Ben Mattinson – are head and shoulders above Guehi in regard to aerial dominance. Colwill, in fairness, boasts virtually identical metrics to the Bologna titan, but then Calafiori's more expressive and expansive style of play suggests that he could slot into the Blues system like a dovetail joint.
Colwill, moreover, is being touted by Bayern Munich, according to Florian Plettenberg. While Chelsea supporters would hate to see the homegrown talent sold at this early stage of his career, Calafiori could be the perfect replacement, should the need to replace him become more pressing.
Who knows, he might even prove to be an upgrade down the line.
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