Max Bird has been impressive for Derby this season (Getty Images)
According to Football Insider (h/t The Sun), Chelsea are looking to sign Derby County starlet Max Bird in the summer.
Bird, 19, was promoted to Derby’s senior team last January and has been a regular member under Phillip Cocu this term. But he had already made his senior bow last season under then-manager Frank Lampard and has impressed in the last two campaigns.
In recent weeks, the teenager has started alongside former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney in midfield. He has already featured in 18 first-team matches across all competitions and the midfielder could be on the move to the Premier League with Chelsea boss Lampard aware of his potential, as per the report.
Meanwhile, the Blues have performed fairly well under the English tactician in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea currently occupy the final Champions League spot in the league table after two wins in their last three league games.
The manager has done well despite having a lot of his players injured for the best part of the 2019/20 season. Despite the youngsters in the squad performing decently, they have been inconsistent on several occasions. Their lack of consistency has been the result of injuries to their key midfielders.
Marco van Ginkel has not yet featured in a single game for the Blues this term due to an injury and star midfielder N’Golo Kante has been out of action for the majority of the season. Defensive midfielder Jorginho has also not performed up to the expected level and has been left on the bench in recent weeks.
However, Scottish youngster Billy Gilmour has been at his best in his last few appearances and looks set to establish himself in the starting XI. But it would be better for Lampard to add depth to his squad in the summer so that there would be immediate replacements whenever anyone is injured or needs rest.
Hence, the manager should bring in midfield reinforcements and Derby’s Max Bird would be a viable option for the Chelsea.
Bird is one of the brightest young talents in the Championship, having featured in 13 games for the Rams. Despite being a holding midfielder, he is also capable of operating from an advanced position and that is evident from the 2 assists he has provided in his limited opportunities in the Championship.
The English talent is just 19 and has a lot of room for development. He has already experienced first-team action and this would be the right time for him to take a huge step in his career. And with the potential he has shown, Bird has the room to develop further under Lampard and grow into a regular first-team member for the Blues in the future.
Given Lampard’s preference to youth this season, it is clear that the manager is looking to build a team for the future and adding Bird to their squad would be a good investment. He can be seen as their player in the long run and thus, he should be lured to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
