Brazilian defender David Luiz has agreed to move to Paris Saint-Germain in the upcoming transfer window for a reported fee of £40 million (A$73 million). Other sources suggest the fee is closer to £50 million.
The centre-back had been rumoured to be heading to Bayern Munich or Barcelona, but the Parisian club swooped first and landed their man.
He has demonstrated an ability to play as a defensive midfielder since Rafa Benitez’s tenure at Stamford Bridge, a position that exhibited his long passing and shooting attributes while minimising the risks of his erratic decision-making.
With only 19 appearances in the Premier League this season, it is no surprise that David Luiz has found a new club. Chelsea now face the issue of finding a replacement for the man known as Sideshow Bob, and it is interesting to see who the potential candidates are.
Tomáš Kalas announced himself to the Premier League with a stunning performance against Liverpool late in the season.
The 21-year-old Czech centre-back signed for Chelsea in 2010 and joined Dutch club Vitesse for the 2011-2012 season. The young defender spent the 2012-2013 season at Vitesse as well, making a total of 63 appearances across two seasons.
Kalas impressed in Chelsea’s pre-season before the 2013-14 season, yet didn’t manage to make an impact when it counted, largely due to an injury and the solid performances of John Terry and Gary Cahill.
A couple of weeks prior to his debut against Liverpool, Kalas had joked about his role at Chelsea.
“I am a player for training sessions,” he said. “If they need a cone, they put me there.”
Promising performances at the end of the season displayed his pace, strength and timing, and he should be in contention for a squad-rotation role for the Blues in the next campaign. I would like to see Kalas make an impact and emulate his idol, John Terry.
In the winter transfer window earlier this year, Chelsea signed 19-year old Kurt Zouma.
The French centre-back already had top-flight experience playing for Saint-Étienne since 2011, and he was immediately loaned back there after moving to Chelsea. Zouma joined for a fee believed to be around £12 million.
He is already physically ready for the rigours of the Premier League, as revealed this season by his height, speed, strength and overall athleticism.
Zouma’s progress was hindered in November 2013 after he was suspended following a poor tackle on Sochaux’sThomas Guebert. Guebert was left with a dislocated ankle and a broken leg.
If Zouma can control his natural aggression and improve on the technical and tactical side of his game, he could be a starter in Chelsea’s defence for years to come.
Kalas and Zouma are the two centre-backs most likely to step up in the absence of David Luiz. In the forthcoming second part of this article, I will examine the other young prospects, including Kenneth Omeruo, Nathan Aké and Andreas Christensen.
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