Surprise surprise, another Atletico player has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge. Something that we are beginning to get use to now, however this rumour is a slightly more surprising one. It includes Turkish midfielder, Arda Turan.
The 28 year old is reportedly wanting a move away from La Liga, with the Premier League his preferred destination, with the player wanting to still be involved in the Champions League. Chelsea and Manchester United are thought to be monitoring the midfielder’s situation. Barcelona are also believed to be keen according to Matt Maltby of the Daily Mail. Turan is a versatile midfielder, competent on the left and right of the midfield, as well through the middle in a central attacking role and was formally compared to Lionel Messi.
During the 2014/15 season, Turan played the majority of his football on the right side of midfield. In total Turan made 40 appearances for Simeone’s side in all competitions, scoring 3 goals and grabbing 6 assists. Coupled with an impressive 85.2% pass success ratio and an average rating of 7.08 according to WhoScored.com
Which raises the question, does he fit the bill for Chelsea’s midfield? With Juan Cuadrado’s future still unsure, a space could vacate on the right midfield slot at Stamford Bridge. During the closing stages of the season, Willian featured in the number 10 role and excelled through the middle. His acceleration, combined with his skill and power makes Willian a perfect fit for Mourinho’s side.
Not only have WhoScored.com awarded the Turkish midfielder such an impressive average rating, they also show his style of play would suit the style Jose Mourinho implements on his side. His passing and dribbling are Very Strong and Strong respectively, as well as his Strong defensive contribution standing out.
Mourinho has made it clear to his attacking players that he demands hard work and a defensive contribution from them all. Turan will quickly catch the eye of Mourinho and the fans if he can bring energy and hard work to the side.
WhoScored also highlight his defence contribution as they showcase his style of play attributes. We can see from these statistics that the Turkish international would fit comfortably into Chelsea’s midfield. In comparison to the rest of Chelsea’s midfield, Willian scored 4 goals and grabbed 5 assists throughout the entirety of last season, Oscar scored 7 and conjured up 8 assists.
The big question surrounding Turan, would a move be worthwhile? A reported €41m release clause was reported earlier this week, however further reports suggest a deal could be struck for significantly lower.
I believe a deal would be worth every penny. Turan would add an extra option in our wide areas and through the middle. Despite the fact he may not be guaranteed a place in the starting XI, he would add tremendous strength in depth. Jose Mourinho has said Juan Cuadrado is categorically not leaving Stamford Bridge this summer, however with Turan seemingly available, could that change his mind?
With a total of 81 international appearances for his native Turkey, Atleti’s number 10 could be a very useful acquisition if utilised correctly by Mourinho. At the age of 28, he possess great experience, winning the La Liga and UEFA Super Cup with Atleti, as well as reaching the Champions League final in the 2013-14 season. It was in that same Champions League campaign where he scored the third and final goal for Madrid in their 3-1 victory over Chelsea in the semi-final. Turan also has Copa Del Ray and Europa League winners’ medals to his name from his time in the Spanish capital.
Turan looks much more like a well-rounded and proven individual when compared to Juan Cuadrado who has failed since arriving in January.
Should Chelsea look to improve upon their Champions League campaign in the 2015/16 season, having a strong squad will be ever so important. Being able to boast that level of strength in depth will only help push Chelsea towards Europe’s elite.
Would you like to see Turan at Stamford Bridge next season?
