Chelsea Transfer News: Papy Djilobodji Signing Favoured over Luisao, Top Rumours

Chelsea moved to sign Benfica’s veteran centre-back Luisao on the final day of the transfer window, but they were put off by the player’s valuation and moved for Nantes’ Papy Djilobodji instead.  

That’s according to Portuguese outlet O Jogo (h/t Louis Sealey of Metro), who writes that the Portuguese giants wanted the full release clause amount of £14.7 million in order to part company with their skipper. The Blues apparently baulked at the asking price for the 34-year-old centre-back and moved for the much cheaper £4 million acquisition of the Senegal international, per BBC Sport.

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Here’s a look at why Luisao has long been rated as one of the most accomplished defenders in European football:

Indeed, as noted in Sealey’s piece, the veteran has made over 300 appearances for Benfica. Luisao is as commanding as they come in the air, an outstanding reader of the game and still a forceful tackler. But in the twilight of his career, he’s certainly not worth the aforementioned amount.

It seems as though the Blues were doing their utmost to bring in a defender in the final embers of the transfer window, as noted by Sport Witness:

In the end, in Djilobodji, Chelsea probably ended up with a player who was way down on the list of their targets. The Senegal international hasn’t even been named in the Blues squad for their Champions League group-stage matches, despite only six defenders being included, per Sky Sports.

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Per Sealey’s article, Everton’s John Stones, Zenit St Petersburg’s Ezequiel Garay and Paris Saint-Germain’s Marquinhos were manager Jose Mourinho’s first-choice options to bolster the back four. As we can see here, courtesy of Squawka Football, the defensive side of Chelsea’s team has been a major concern this season, despite usually being such a strong point:

But Djilobodji is a player who could yet offer something. At the moment, he seems a long way off from making the first team, but with John Terry getting older and Gary Cahill unconvincing in the early part of the season, chances could yet come along. Chelsea have to negotiate three different domestic competitions, too, so the 27-year-old should certainly get a chance to show what he can do.

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He may be the kind of uncompromising presence the Blues need. As noted here by OptaJean, Djilobodji isn’t a defender who messes about with the ball at the back:

Luisao would have been a superb temporary acquisition for Chelsea. Although he doesn’t have too many years left at the top, the Brazilian is a leader and the kind of authoritative presence that’d help shore up a leaky Blues back line. But he’s a key fixture at Benfica, and it’s understandable they’re desperate to keep him around.

Djilobodji was a surprise acquisition, but all of the qualities are there for him to become a solid back-up option for Chelsea. The former Nantes man has surely been given some reassurances about getting regular opportunities in the first team, and if the Blues continue giving away goals so regularly, they might come along a lot quicker than many expected.