PORTO ALEGRE, BRAZIL - JUNE 20: José Giménez of Uruguay celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Group C match between Uruguay and Japan during Copa America Brazil 2019 at Arena do Gremio stadium on June 20, 2019, in Porto Alegre, Brazil. (Photo by Lucas Uebel/Getty Images)
According to claims from the Here We Go Podcast (h/t The Sun), Chelsea are eyeing up a move for Atletico Madrid centre-back Jose Gimenez next summer. It has been claimed that the Blues are working on a contract extension for veteran Thiago Silva but view the 25-year-old as a long-term solution at the back.
Jose Gimenez started his professional career with Danubio in the Uruguayan top-flight before earning a move to Europe with Spanish heavyweights Atletico Madrid in 2013. He featured only thrice in all competitions in his debut season but has been a regular fixture at the back for the Rojiblancos since the start of the 2014-15 campaign.
The Uruguayan has carved out a massive reputation for himself as one of the best young centre-backs on the planet under Diego Simeone’s stewardship in Spain. Gimenez has amassed close to 200 appearances for Atletico in all competitions, winning the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup in the process.
The 25-year-old was also a part of Atletico’s squad that finished runners-up in the Champions League in 2013-14 and 2015-16, losing to Real Madrid on both occasions.
Thiago Silva has nailed down a regular starting role at the heart of Chelsea’s defence following his free transfer to Stamford Bridge in the summer. The Brazilian has already featured 9 times for Frank Lampard’s side in all competitions and is yet to taste defeat so far.
The 36-year-old only joined the club on a one-year deal but his consistent impressive displays have prompted the Blues to open talks with the veteran over a contract extension.
Indeed, Silva has proved to be a fantastic addition to Chelsea’s backline. The Blues were in sixes and sevens at the back throughout the previous campaign – they conceded 54 goals in the PL last term. But the Brazilian’s arrival has certainly gone a long way towards stemming the inflow of goals.
Kurt Zouma has also proven his credentials as a worthy partner for Silva at centre-back, with the Frenchman very much a regular starter under Lampard these days. The manager, though, hasn’t shown a lot of confidence in the likes of Andreas Christensen, Fikayo Tomori and Antonio Rudiger. With that in mind, a further reshuffle at the back would definitely make a lot of sense.
Putting things into context, Chelsea need to bring in a top-quality centre-back with one eye on the future. A potential deal move Jose Gimenez could well sort out their defensive issues for several seasons. The Uruguayan is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in Europe and has already made over 200 club career appearances, despite being just 25.
Chelsea would need to move on some of their existing players at the back to make room for a new centre-back next summer, with Silva set for an extended stay in West London.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that Jose Gimenez would be an instant upgrade on the likes of Christensen, Rudiger and Tomori at Stamford Bridge. With Lampard trying to build a title-winning squad, a potential swoop for the Uruguayan would definitely be a step in the right direction.
The 25-year-old is unlikely to come cheap (he has a contract with Atletico until 2023) but with his best years still ahead of him, the centre-back would surely be worth a significant outlay for the Blues in the market.
