Chelsea Transfer News: Nikola Maksimovic Targeted Amid Kalidou Koulibaly Rumours

Chelsea are interested in signing Torino centre-back Nikola Maksimovic as a cheaper alternative to Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly. 

That’s according to Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror, who stated the former would be available for around the £18 million mark, making him a far less expensive acquisition than the £45 million-rated Senegal international.

Lewis added that West Ham United are also interested in Maksimovic and that Chelsea are considering an offer for Lazio centre-back Stefan de Vrij, with a move for Juventus star Leonardo Bonucci unlikely to materialise.

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Maksimovic was very capable in Serie A last season, showing his defensive attributes at the base of midfield and in the heart of the defence. Here is what the imposing 24-year-old could offer:

New Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte doesn’t just seem to be targeting a centre-back this summer but a particular kind.

Indeed, Koulibaly, De Vrij, Maksimovic and Bonucci have all excelled in the Italian top flight, a division the Blues boss has extensive knowledge of. They’re also all defenders who can distribute with composure at the base of the team.

Maksimovic has been impressive as a ball-playing defender with Torino, and his versatility is also something that’d likely appeal to Conte, a manager who regularly tweaks the way in which his team sets up.

Journalist David Amoyal believes the Serbia international has the potential to go a long way in the game:

It’d make sense if Koulibaly was Chelsea’s top target, though. The 25-year-old has made real progress with the Partenopei since arriving in Naples in 2014, and during the 2015-16 campaign, he was a standout centre-back in a division bristling with exceptional defenders.

The Napoli man has many admirers because of his physicality and composure on the ball. But as these figures from WhoScored.com illustrate, the Senegalese relishes defensive duties too:

Despite his many qualities, Koulibaly may prove to be too costly for the Blues. While he looks tailor-made for the Premier League and its robust demands, £45 million would be a lot to pay for a footballer who’s never experienced the division before.

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So it’s no surprise to learn Chelsea may be considering alternatives. Maksimovic, while not as refined as Koulibaly, could offer support to the likes of John Terry, Kurt Zouma and Gary Cahill. Here’s how he fared statistically in comparison to the Napoli defender and the Chelsea skipper last season:

	Maksimovic	Koulibaly	Terry
Apps (Sub)	16	32 (1)	24
Goals	0	0	1
Tackles per game	2.6	2.5	0.9
Interceptions per game	3.9	2.5	1.6
Clearances per game	3.4	3.6	3.7
Blocks per game	0.3	0.6	0.8
Aerial duels won per game	1.2	2.5	2
Passing accuracy	84%	85.9%	89.8%

Having forged his title wins with Juventus on the foundations of a fantastic defence, Conte will likely seek to implement a similarly sturdy structure at Stamford Bridge. At the moment, he doesn’t quite have the personnel to do so, but a player such as Koulibaly would be a massive asset in expediting this process.

Maksimovic doesn’t look quite as equipped to deal with English football yet, although he has the potential to be a big hit should he continue developing. So while he may cost a lot less than Koulibaly, should Conte want immediate success in his new position, it’d be well worth pushing for the more expensive option.