Their answer to Zubimendi: Chelsea submit offer to sign £34m "animal"
da betsul： Next season looks set to be a massive one for Chelsea.
da betano casino： Enzo Maresca’s side are coming off the back of a tough year in which they were still able to qualify for the Champions League and win the Conference League, and are now in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup.
In other words, the expectations for next season’s Premier League campaign are more than a little high.
Fortunately, the board are doing their part to support the team in the transfer market, and after securing Joao Pedro, they appear to be targeting someone who could be their own Martin Zubimendi.
Chelsea target their own Zubimendi
It’s already been a jam-packed summer of deals for Chelsea.
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Before they even left for the Club World Cup, the Blues had secured the services of young up-and-coming talents like Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr, as well as the exciting Liam Delap, who has already opened his account for the club out in the USA.
However, the most significant deal the Pensioners have sealed thus far has been for Pedro, who completed his £60m move from Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this week, after racking up a tally of 17 goal involvements in 30 appearances for the Seagulls last season.
Yet, while that might be a window’s worth of transfers for some clubs, the West Londoners are nowhere near done and now appear to be targeting a talented midfielder who could be their own Zubimendi.
At least that’s according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Chelsea are intensely interested in Marc Casado.
The report goes a step further, revealing that the Blues have already submitted an offer worth around €40m for the 21-year-old, which is about £34m.
However, they are not the only ones to do so, as the story also states that Napoli, Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen have made similar offers.
It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Casado’s ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be their own Zubimendi.
Why Casado could be Chelsea's Zubimendi
There are several reasons why Casado could be viewed as Chelsea’s own Zubimendi, and one of those relates to the transfer itself.
After all, like the soon-to-be Arsenal star, he too will be moving from a major side in La Liga to a London-based ‘big six’ side.
Moreover, they are both now Spanish internationals, with the 26-year-old now having 19 senior caps to his name, and the younger Barcelona gem already having two, despite being just 21 years old.
However, the comparison goes further than that, as, just like his older compatriot, the sought-after youngster is someone who can play in central midfield when needed, but he is far and away more comfortable and better suited to playing as an out-and-out defensive midfielder.
However, just because he can do some of the dirty work for his side does not mean he cannot help kickstart attacks, as, like the former Real Soicedad star, he is a brilliant passer and someone who ‘always wants to make the progressive passes,’ per Breaking the Lines.
You don’t just have to take their word for it, though, as you can see this part of his game in some of his impressive underlying numbers.
According to FBref, the midfield “animal,” as dubbed by teammate Bryan Zaragoza, sat in the top 3% of midfielders in La Liga last season for live-ball passes, the top 5% for passes attempted and completed, the top 6% for passes into the final third and more, all per 90.
Casado’s La Liga scout report
Statistics
Per 90
Percentile
Passes Completed (Short)
36.54
Top 2%
Passes Attempted (Short)
39.44
Top 2%
Tackles (Mid 3rd)
1.68
Top 2%
Touches (Mid 3rd)
58.10
Top 2%
Goals/Shot on Target
1.00
Top 3%
Live-ball Passes
74.30
Top 3%
Passes Completed
68.21
Top 5%
Passes Attempted
76.37
Top 5%
Passes into Final Third
7.71
Top 6%
Total Passing Distance
1046.09
Top 7%
Pass Completion %
89.3%
Top 10%
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Ultimately, while he may not be a well-known quantity in England, Casado has demonstrated himself to be a talented defensive midfielder with an eye for a pass.
Therefore, Chelsea should consider bringing him to the Bridge this summer, as he could be their answer to Arsenal’s Zubimendi.
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