We spoke to journalist, Andy Scott who works for Agence France-Presse (AFP). Andy tells us a little more about Papy Djilobodji and gives his thoughts on the transfer.
So Chelsea completed the signing of Papy Djilobodji on Deadline Day, can you tell us a little more about him as a defender and how he has performed in Ligue 1?
Djilobodji has tended to play as the left-sided centre-back for Nantes alongside the Venezuelan Oswaldo Vizcarrondo. He is a great big unit and very powerful, a bit like Bobo Baldé if you remember the bruising Celtic centre-half of the last decade. He was picked up by Nantes in 2009 when they were in Ligue 2 but almost immediately became a regular, helping them win promotion in 2013 and then to consolidate back in Ligue 1. He was particularly impressive in 2013-14, a little less so last season. However, Nantes have had a reputation in the last couple of years for being defensively sound, a bit dour in fact – they have kept, I think, 29 clean sheets since coming back up, in 80 games, which is a decent record, and he has been a big part of that. He is also a Senegalese international.
What about him and his playing style do you think sparked interest from Chelsea?
Quite honestly, this is a difficult one. On the one hand, he is exactly the kind of profile that English clubs tend to look for when they sign players from France. Big, powerful, athletic. On the other hand, this is a player who never looked likely to join a major club. He had been linked with Marseille in the past and was most closely linked this summer in the French press to Bournemouth before almost signing for Trabzonspor. Celtic also looked at him. He is limited technically and he is really an example of the type of ‘average’ Ligue 1 player that we are starting to see get picked up by English clubs for ridiculous amounts of money – he may have only cost around €3 million, but he was in the last season of his contract. You would normally expect a club of Chelsea’s stature to shop at the very top end of the market, but I suppose as a squad player he is a useful addition.
Not many people know too much about Djilobodji here in England, is there anyone from the Premier League you would compare him to?
To tell you the truth I can’t think of an obvious example. When you look at centre-backs to come out of France he is certainly not as frighteningly talented, or as young for that matter, as Kurt Zouma. He is perhaps a little more in the mould of Mamadou Sakho on the ball, although Sakho is a better player. Somebody like Robert Huth might be a better comparison – just a big powerful defender, no airs and graces.
What has the reaction been like in France to the signing?
It has kind of passed under the radar because of the Anthony Martial deal, which has been met with total incredulity here. However, L’Equipe, the leading sports daily, called his move “the other (small) sensation”. The Nantes president Waldemar Keita said: “His transfer to Chelsea is the proof that if you are a serious boy, strong physically, you can make it. He still needs to progress, but he has a coach there who can help him.”
Would you class the deal as a panic buy from Mourinho?
Essentially, yes. Although was this a Mourinho buy or was it imposed on him? I don’t know. He is there to make up the numbers.
Finally, can Djilobodji be a success at Chelsea, despite it looking like he will be a rotation option?
It depends on what constitutes a success. I would be astounded if he became a first-team regular, but he is good enough to come in and do a job in Premier League games against lesser opposition or in the cup competitions against lesser sides. In all honesty, though, I can’t see him staying all that long and I imagine he sees it as a springboard to joining another English club and hitting the jackpot in terms of the wages on offer there (which, viewed from outside England, are mind-blowing and to the detriment of competition in the wider world of football!).
