It is hard to keep track of what Chelsea's overarching transfer strategy is this summer. No more is this reflected than the sudden interest in Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong.
Although De Jong is a talented player, one who has been linked previously, should an eleventh-hour bid be submitted in an effort to usurp Manchester United to add to this summer of hijacks, it would jar with the expected midfield plan under Thomas Tuchel.
There has been an expectation that if the Blues went in for a midfielder, it would be in search of a more defensive-minded profile, one they have not had since Nemanja Matic. De Jong, who has been linked with Man United for several months and played under Erik ten Hag, is a more attacking player, one defined by his ability to progress the ball rather than break up play.
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Trying to theorise why De Jong could be pursued by Todd Boehly with the blessing of Tuchel could indicate the German might be attempting to repeat a tactic he used at Borussia Dortmund.
In his 4-1-4-1 formation that sometimes shifted into a 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, Tuchel deployed Julian Weigl in front of the defence. His role was to receive the ball from the defence and distribute it, either switching play out wide to a fullback or wide player to help beat an opposition press with short passes.
This role is quite similar to the one Jorginho has mostly played for Chelsea, receiving the ball from the centre-backs and looking to retain possession with the wingbacks or fellow central midfielder.
What Weigl provides Dortmund is not entirely groundbreaking nor uncommon in the modern game. De Jong at Barcelona has played a more advanced role and shows more box-to-box capabilities than Jorginho or Weigl, as seen by his runs past the ball into the box and looking to advance into the opposing half to thread direct passes into the feet of attackers.
However, for his nation, De Jong can occupy a much deeper role, even as a left-centre back in some games last year. Most recently, playing on the left of a midfield three, which saw him drop deep on occasion to recycle possession and look to get Holland moving.
With Tuchel's current 3-4-2-1 formation and the possibility of him shifting to a four-man defence, it is not wild to suggest De Jong could be utilised in either a double-six or as the deepest of a midfield trio. However, you could end up limiting some of the more progressive traits that could make him a more impactful addition on a creative side.
It is hard to tell how serious Chelsea are, or how accurate the reporting is when Chelsea appear to have their hands in multiple deals for players in several areas. In terms of importance to this window, De Jong, for all his quality, would not be high on my list.
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