Chelsea contacts to sign £64m ‘difference manufacturer’

Chelsea beat Stamford Bridge 1-0 in the second leg of their league semi-finals to book their spot in the match finals.

The Blues cushioned themselves comfortably to Thursday night’s clash with a 4-1 victory in the first leg of the away from home, and now they will face the real Betis in the final.

Enzo Maresca has a chance to win the European trophy in her first season at Stamford Bridge, although not in the Champions League or Europa League.

The former Leicester City boss also ranked fifth at the Premier League table, meaning they are eligible for the Champions League.

Despite Chelsea’s success at home and in the semester, the club will still be active in the summer transfer window to enhance managers’ choices throughout the stadium.

The Premier League Giants may be a new winger on the agenda as they hope to find the next version of the Belgian Wizard Eden Hazard on the side.

Why Eden Hazard is Chelsea’s superstar

It is fair to say that most Chelsea supporters will think of the short magician because they recall his career at the club because he has provided such a great performance for the Blues.

Hazard signed from Lille in 2012 and spent seven years with the club against British football, 352 appearances in all matches, 110 goals and 88 assists in 352 games, which illustrates his quality and longevity at Stamford Bridge.

As you can see in the clip above, Dynamo of Belgium is a superstar at Chelsea because of his talent to create something with a moment of magic.

For all the important tactics and systems discussions, Hazard is the kind that can win the game by beating several players and creating or scoring goals themselves, which is invaluable in football.

As you can see in the table above, former Lille Ace has shown consistent quality in six of the seven seasons in the Premier League, with at least 12 goals in five campaigns.

Danger is the kind of player that Chelsea can see at its lowest moments, can drag them out of electric runs, high-quality passes or end points, and Maresca can find his own version of the Belgian if Blues can make a deal for the players currently pursuing.

According to Caughtoffside, Chelsea has reached out to Italian giant Milan to sign Rafael Leao in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that the two clubs have had preliminary negotiations on the Portuguese International’s move, and the Blues are the team with the highest interest in him.

It noted that Premier League team Arsenal, who has entered the Champions League semi-final this season, is also keen on the Serie A feeling, but they have not yet contacted Milan.

Caughtoffside added that the £64m fee may be enough to attract the Italian side to cash in, but it remains to be seen whether Chelsea is willing to pay so much for him.

Now, the club wants to make sure that these negotiations end with Leo reaching a deal, as he is a player who has the potential to be a dangerous version of Maresca next season and beyond.

Why Rafael Leao could be Chelsea’s next Eden danger

Like the Belgian Wizard, the Milan Superstar is a right-footed striker who usually plays on the left, cutting toward the right foot to achieve goals and assists.

Talent Scout Jacek Kulig describes Leao as a “pure difference manufacturer” on the Italian side, which is what Chelsea’s ability to score and create goals and what it is for Chelsea.

Last season, Leoo produced nine goals and nine assists in Serie A, and as you can see in the clip above, he demonstrated his ability to regularly produce magic moments in the last third.

As Hazard did for Chelsea, the Portuguese star has also consistently delivered quality over several seasons, with at least 12 goals and at least 10 assists in all competitions in each of the past four seasons.

As you can see in the table above, Leao has been the difference maker on the Italian side at the top of the court, by providing goals and assistance from the left wing.

But it’s not just the numbers that are impressive, but also suggests that the £64 million star may be the next dangerous version of Chelsea, which is also the style he offers quality to Milan.

For example, the highlight above his performance against PSG in the Champions League in 2023 is the dangerous style, just like the way he plunders the left, consistently taking over the players in an attempt to get his team to improve.

Leao is a dynamic, exciting, forward-looking guy who loves to bring people and be a differencer at the top of the court, and over the past four years he has provided Milan with goals and assists to support his exciting game of the final product.

Thus, Leo has all the attributes and play styles that can reach Stamford Bridge as Chelsea’s new danger, while leaving enough time left to build a similar legacy at the age of 25, if Bruce could make a deal for him.