Chelsea are looking for a top level, senior centre back to lead their team. They want a ready made defender who can step into the team and upgrade a team that leaked goals all season.
But their desire for a ready made starting player doesn’t mean they’re no longer interested in signing the best youngsters in Europe for their academy. They’re just starting to reap the rewards of years of investment at that level, and they’d be crazy to stop now.
It’s no surprise to read, then, in today’s Daily Mail, that the Blues are chasing Xavier Mbuyamba, currently playing at Barcelona.
The youngster, who trained with the Blues last season, can move anywhere now that his deal in Catalonia has expired.
There will be no shortage of competition for one of Europe’s top young players, but Chelsea have proven time and again that their pull for youngsters is strong, and now with Frank Lampard in charge they can offer an even more direct path to the first team.
