Liam Rosenior can build perfect Chelsea backline with £46m fire sale and dream transfer

Chelsea could hold a fire sale at the end of the season as Liam Rosenior looks to build his perfect backline

Liam Rosenior will need to reshuffle the Chelsea backline at the end of the season. Once Mamadou Sarr, whom the Blues recalled from Strasbourg on deadline day, gets his feet under the table at Stamford Bridge, the former Hull City boss will have up to eight defenders vying to play centre-back.

One of which, of course, will be Levi Colwill, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury at the start of pre-season. Although he’s back on the grass at Cobham, the nature of the injury means the 22-year-old could very well miss the remainder of the season.

Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah have established a promising relationship in his absence, but they’ve left the door open for Colwill to re-establish himself as a stalwart in the side. With so many fixtures in the calendar, Tosin Adarabioyo and Benoit Badiashile have often plugged the gaps in the backline.

But the gulf in quality has proven costly at times, hence the arrival of Sarr. While Josh Acheampong and Jorrel Hato have predominantly featured at full-back this season, they too could be considered options at centre-half.

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With up to eight players competing for two or three slots in the starting lineup, Rosenior will need to reshuffle the pack. So, football.london has looked at what Chelsea needs to do to build its dream backline.

Keep

Rosenior should whittle his centre-back options down to six players, with two of whom capable of providing cover at full-back: Colwill, Fofana, Chalobah, and Sarr, as well as Acheampong and Hato, respectively.

In doing so, the Chelsea boss can field his so-called strongest backline throughout the Premier League season, while using the others to cover any enforced absences and compensate for form.

Sell

If Rosenior was to follow such a plan, Chelsea would need to offload Adarabioyo and Badiashile, who, according to Transfermarkt, have a combined market value of €38million (£32.8million). The Blues could rake in millions in sales while freeing up more opportunities for others.

Meanwhile, Axel Disasi, who West Ham signed on loan on deadline day, still faces an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge. The 27-year-old defender has about three-and-a-half years left on his contract at Stamford Bridge and is reportedly valued at €15million (£12.9million).

Loan

Unless Aaron Anselmino enjoys a brilliant end to the season at Strasbourg and stakes a claim for a place in Rosenior’s side, he should be given another loan – whether that’s back at the French outfit or another club competing in either of UEFA’s three club competitions.

Buy

Chelsea are approaching their ‘Virgil van Dijk moment’. It felt as if Liverpool suddenly became the strongest team in the world when they signed the Dutchman from Southampton in January 2018 for a then-record transfer fee of £75million.

He shored things up at the back, and the Reds went on to win the Champions League and the Club World Cup. The Blues need to make a similar signing to reach the next level, but there’s a problem: there isn’t a ‘Van Dijk-esque’ profile currently available on the market.

Until then, Rosenior will be tasked with transforming one of Colwill, Fofana, Chalobah or Sarr into Chelsea’s very own world-class centre-back…