Chelsea want Porto full-back, a good deal?

Bengaluru, March 4: Chelsea are said to be mongering a move for FC Porto left-back Alex Telles. The Brazilian international is out of contract with the Portuguese giants at the end of the next season and he has already made it known to the club that he is not interested in staying at Estádio do Dragão.

It means that Porto will be keen to cash in on the bombarding full-back this summer and that too on a bargain which has alerted the whole Europe including Chelsea. The left-back position has proved to be a bit problematic for Chelsea ever since ever-dependable Ashley Cole left the club. Fixing this should be one of their biggest priorities in the summer.

Emerson Palmieri is clearly not good enough for the club while Marcos Alonso is vulnerable defensively. Even though the Spaniard is one of the very best in the world when it comes to full-backs contributing to the attack, his poor defensive discipline cannot be overlooked.

Alex Telles is a reputed name in Europe and it is a bit surprising that he is yet to move to one of the top five leagues in the continent. He is 27 years of age right now and has been making a strong case for himself for several years.

With Porto keen to cash in on him, it is natural to see him attracting suitors like Chelsea and Juventus. However, Chelsea should avoid making a move for the Brazilian.

What Chelsea need is a complete full-back who is strong both defensively and offensively and Telles also comes with a reputation of lacking defensive discipline. Although, he is very hard-working and pacey and thanks to that, he makes up for his occasional defensive lapses but the Blues have already struggled enough in the left-back position to make a move for a player with such reputation.

Chelsea have been strongly linked with Leicester City full-back Ben Chilwell in recent months and they should continue to pursue their interest in the Englishman. He is four years younger and proven himself as well. He is excellent defensively as well as being a strong attacking force from down the left flank.

Even though Chilwell could cost much higher than Telles, Chelsea should make a statement that they are in no position to compromise with quality.