Why Chelsea should avoid a move for Allan Arigoni

According to Swiss newspaper Blick (h/t Daily Express), Chelsea are interested in signing left-back Allan Arigoni, who currently plies his trade with Grasshopper in the Swiss second-tier. 

Spanish heavyweights Barcelona have also been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old. (Blick h/t Daily Express)

Arigoni has clocked up 19 appearances for Grasshopper in all competitions so far this season, registering five assists in the process. 

The youngster only played a bit-part role in the previous campaign as Grasshopper suffered relegation from the Swiss top-flight but a drop to the second-tier has made it easier for him to further his development with more regular minutes.  

Born in Zurich, Switzerland, to a Swiss father and a Jamaican mother, Arigoni had brief stints at the academies of Locarno, Bellinzona and Lugano in his homeland before moving on to Grasshopper at the youth level back in 2016. The 21-year-old has represented Switzerland at U18, U19 and U20 levels but is yet to make his senior international debut.

Having impressed across various age-group levels, the left-back signed his first professional contract with Grasshopper back in August 2017 before eventually making his senior professional debut in a 1-0 victory over FC Zurich in the Swiss Super League in 2018. 

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s interest in signing a new left-back has been well-documented throughout the January window. Leicester City star Ben Chilwell continues to be a top target for the Blues while Atalanta’s Robin Gosens has also been linked (h/t Daily Express).

Not a lot is known about the player’s style of play and his statistics, given that Arigoni is currently playing in the Swiss second-tier. 

Verdict

With Emerson Palmieri and Marcos Alonso both failing to impress Frank Lampard this season, Chelsea need a new left-back. Cesar Azpilicueta has filled in admirably in an unfamiliar left-back role, with Reece James excelling on the other side but the Blues need some specialist cover in that role moving forward. 

While the 21-year-old has a lot of room for improvement, the Swiss starlet doesn’t tick the box as an immediate upgrade on Alonso and Emerson.

The Blues already have a lot of young talent in their first-team and they should not turn their attention to more experienced players, preferably ones in their prime years. Hence, Chelsea would be wise to avoid playing a gamble on the rising Swiss starlet.