Chelsea check Jacquet and Rosenior close to signing for the first time

Chelsea have made checks on a £35m ‘monster’ as they look to bolster their central defensive options.

Blues eye new signings with Rosenior set to replace Maresca

BlueCo has wasted no time in replacing Enzo Maresca, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealing that Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior is expected to take over this week, barring a last-minute hitch.

Wayne Rooney clearly believes his former Derby County assistant has the skills to succeed at Stamford Bridge, recently saying: “Liam was so important to me.

“He was incredible in his coaching abilities. I was more of a manager and took care of the players and everything.

“So I learned a lot from him from that perspective and I thought he did a great job overall.”

However, the 41-year-old may want to put his own stamp on the team he inherits, and a report from TEAMtalk has revealed that Chelsea have carried out extensive checks on Rennes center-back Jeremy Jacquet.

Maresca was eager to strengthen his defense, before leaving on New Year’s Day, but Jacquet could become Rosenior’s first signing, should the Blues move quickly, amid rival interest from Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Previous reports detailed that the Rennes defender was valued at around £35 millionso a deal would be reasonably expensive, but he fits the profile of a typical BlueCo signing, at just 20 years old.

“Monster” Jacquet attracts attention in France

Earlier this season, recruit Antonio Mango hailed the youngster as a “monster”, while also praising him for his physical qualities, pace, athleticism and technical ability.

Not only that, but more importantly, the starlet is also very strong defensively, averaging 1.95 tackles per 90 over the past year, putting him in the 84th percentile compared to other center backs, with an average of 1.69 interceptions over the same period putting him in the 95th percentile.

With Levi Colwill potentially set to spend the remainder of the season on the treatment table, after suffering an ACL injury in August, signing a new centre-back in the current transfer window could be ideal.

Jacquet has proven he can be up to the task, but signing another young player could be a concern, given Gary NevilleThe recent warning from Sky Sports stated: “You really can’t win anything with children. That’s a fact. Alan Hansen was absolutely right:

“Chelsea could do with more experienced people both within the team and around the club. If you have young players playing, I also think you need a manager who has a lot of experience.”