Not every transfer has panned out in the way they would’ve hoped, but Chelsea have built an incredible squad over the last few years.
Whether it’s Reece James, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana at the back; Estevao and Cole Palmer in attack or Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández in the middle of the park, there is talent everywhere.
However, for all the incredible players they have signed, the Blues have also famously lost more than a few current superstars when they were still young, players like Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala and perhaps most frustrating of all, Declan Rice.
The Arsenal star would be the dream partner for Caicedo, so fans should be delighted about reports linking Chelsea with an international game-changer who could be their Rice.
Chelsea target their own Rice
It feels like it only just closed, but the transfer window will be open again in under a month, and unsurprisingly, Chelsea have started to be linked with a plethora of brilliant players.
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For example, Juventus’ incredibly exciting young winger Kenan Yıldız has been touted for a move to Stamford Bridge, as has Nottingham Forest’s £79m Murillo.
However, as talented as those two are and as much of an impact as they’d have on Enzo Maresca’s squad, neither could be described as remotely like Rice, unlike Eduardo Camavinga.
Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Chelsea are one of several Premier League teams keen on the Real Madrid monster.
Alongside the West Londoners, the report has revealed that their rivals, Arsenal and Liverpool, are also interested in the 23-year-old.
However, competition isn’t the only potential barrier to this transfer being done, as Real Madrid value their midfield monster at €80m, which is about £70m.
It could therefore be a costly and complicated deal to get over the line, but given Camavinga’s quality and further potential, it’s one Chelsea should fight for, especially as he could be their Rice.
Why Camavinga could be Chelsea's Rice
So when it comes to what makes Rice such an incredible player, most fans and pundits alike would probably point to his ability as an all-action midfielder.
He’s someone who can play as a six if needed, but also thrives as an eight, someone who can help break up play in the middle of the pitch and then create an attacking move for his side.
This is a skill set Camavinga also possesses, and the underlying numbers prove it.
For example, FBref ranks the midfield “war machine” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles won and tackles plus interceptions, the top 4% for blocks, the top 8% for progressive carrying distance, the top 12% for passes into the final third and more, all per 90.
Moreover, FBref ranked Rice as the eighth-most similar midfielder to the Frenchman in the 23/24 Champions League campaign.
To understand how this conclusion was reached, you need to look at some of the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked closely.
Non-Penalty xGoals
0.03
0.03
Expected Assists
0.08
0.06
Passes into the Penalty Area
0.68
0.43
Goal-Creating Actions
0.12
0.11
Shots Blocked
0.68
0.75
Ball Recoveries
5.34
5.81
Aerial Duels Won
1.36
1.18
These included things like non-penalty expected goals, expected assists, passes into the penalty area, shots blocked, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.
In other words, even back then, the Madrid “duel monster,” as dubbed by analyst Raj Chohan, was showing that impressive balance of attacking and defensive nous he still has today, and that, combined with the fact he’s still just 23, is probably why Xabi Alonso described him as someone with “enormous potential.”
With all that said, there is something the Cabinda-born monster has over the Gunners star: experience of winning the biggest trophies, as he has two Champions League titles and two La Liga titles under his belt.
Ultimately, while it won’t be easy, Chelsea should do what they can to sign Camavinga, as he could become their own Rice.
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