Bengaluru, Nov. 18: Chelsea are reportedly working on a deal to bring Hungarian defender Attila Szalai to the club this January.
The Blues could be without as many as four centre-backs next summer including Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen. Furthermore, they are yet to replace Fikayo Tomori, Marc Guehi and Kurt Zouma who left the club in the summer.
Therefore, manager Thomas Tuchel is now seemingly wasting no time in trying to bolster his backline and a deal for Szalai could be completed in January. The reported fee for his signature is believed to be £20m.
The Blues were in the market for a defender last summer and tried to get a deal done for Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde. However, the dealings could not be completed due to the difference in transfer fees. As per rumours, they are still chasing him while Matthijs de Ligt is another one attracting interest, but 23-year-old Szalai reportedly looks as though he could be the next through the door.
Szalai's rapid rise
Szalai started his career with Hungarian top-flight side Mezokovesd Zsory FC, making just over 50 competitive appearances for the club before making the switch to Cypriot side Apollon Limassol. After impressing over there he switched to Fenerbahce earlier this year in the January transfer window. He has only made 40 competitive appearances for the club, but during his short stint, he has been one of the best performers in Turkey. He also is a regular on the national side and got recognition for his all-round display against Portugal, France and Germany at the European Championships.
Playing Style
After starting his career as a left-back, Szalai has established himself as an out-and-out centre-half now. At Fenerbahce, he plays as a left centre-back in a 3-4-3 set-up, the role Rudiger operates in. He is good with the ball at his feet and comfortable carrying it to the midfield. Standing at 6”3, Szalai is also strong aerially and has a powerful physical presence. His strong physical element combined with a calm decisiveness and presence on the ball surely makes him an ideal candidate for Thomas Tuchel's backline.