To say it’s been a busy summer for Chelsea this year would be quite the understatement.
While most of the Premier League were enjoying a break, Enzo Maresca’s side were competing in and winning the Club World Cup.
It was just as busy off the pitch for the Blues, as the board sold several players like Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga, while also bringing in stars like Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens.
Moreover, with just over a month of the window remaining, the West Londoners look set to do more business, with Jorrel Hato the latest player set to join the club, and if reports are to be believed, they could also bring in another international ace who’d be an even better signing.
Chelsea target better signing than Hato
At the moment, it looks like Chelsea are getting close to signing RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons, but the player closest to making the move to Stamford Bridge is undoubtedly Jorrel Hato.
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In fact, the Dutchman’s move to the club received the “here we go” treatment from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano yesterday afternoon, who revealed the fee is set to be in excess of €40m, which is about £35m.
There is no denying that in signing the highly-rated 19-year-old, the Blues have improved their defence for the present and future, but it also appears as if they are interested in another star who’d be an even better signing.
At least that is according to a recent report from BBC Sport, which has reaffirmed Chelsea’s interest in Marc Guehi.
The report claims that alongside the likes of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, the Blues have registered an interest in the Crystal Palace star since the end of the season.
In terms of how much the England international would cost, the story states that the Eagles want around £40m, which could prove to be great value, especially as he would likely be a better signing than Hato.
Why Guehi would be a better signing than Hato
Okay, so the first thing to say is that, like plenty of others, we do feel confident that Hato will be a great addition to Chelsea’s squad this summer, as he’s young, highly promising and already has an impressive amount of experience under his belt.
However, there are still a few reasons why we think that this summer, Guehi would end up being the better acquisition.
The primary one actually relates to experience, as while the Ajax gem has an impressive tally of 111 senior club appearances under his belt, the Palace star dwarfs that with a whopping 216 across his stints with the Eagles, Swansea and Chelsea.
Appearances
216
111
Goals
8
4
Assists
4
9
Goal Involvements per Match
0.05
0.11
National Team Caps
23
6
Moreover, you have to take into account the competition in which most of those appearances were made, as according to Opta Analyst, the Premier League is comfortably the toughest in world football.
In contrast, the Eredivisie comes in as just the tenth toughest, behind the likes of Brazil’s Serie A and Portugal’s Primeira Liga.
On top of the simple fact that this means the Englishman has been playing far more challenging games, it also means he should be able to adapt to playing for the West Londoners quicker, as he does not have to change leagues or take a step-up.
Then, while the fact that the 19-year-old has already won six senior caps for the Netherlands is certainly promising, it once again pales in comparison to the 23 won by the former Blues gem, especially when you consider he played a key role in the Three Lions’ run to the final of the European Championship last year.
Finally, while it’s good to invest in promising young players, Maresca and Co need signings who can help them win things over the next couple of seasons.
So, it’s crucial that, at 25 years old, the “sensational” Palace ace, as dubbed by Steve Parish, is just two years from reaching his peak, whereas it could be another seven years until the Rotterdam-born ace hits his, according to research carried out by The Athletic.
Ultimately, Hato is a great signing, but due to having more quality experience and being closer to his peak years, Guehi would likely be a better signing for Chelsea this season.
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