Chelsea don’t lack high-quality midfield options. Enzo Maresca has £100 million plus a £100 million duo from Moises Caiceceo and Enzo Fernandez, plus some excellent players in the heart of the park. The pair was essential to the Chelsea side to the term.
Former blues winger Joe Cole recently claimed that Kaiseko is a “outstanding” player and chose him for the most improved player in the entire Premier League.
With 38 games, he played more time than any other Chelsea player on top flights this season. As for Fernandez, he has been featured 36 times, and also highlights his importance to the Blues.
Surprisingly, Chelsea appears to be trying to enhance their midfield depth by adding title-winning midfielders to their team this summer.
Chelsea midfield target
Adding a new midfielder to this team would certainly be a Chelsea statement given the power of the stars they have. Don’t forget that Romeo Lavia is also a Maresca option. But like all aspects of their number one desire, they are trying to improve their options in the middle.
According to a report by Italian news outlet Gazzetta, the West London side has made a “important offer” to Naples midfielder Frank Zambo Anguissa. There are question marks as to whether the newly crowned Scudetto winner can convince him to stay in Naples.
Indeed, it is believed that “the clause in his contract allows him to independently evaluate this option.” This could leave the door open to bring him back to West London. The midfielder was previously featured in the book on Fulham.
If he leaves, the price has not yet been made clear, but Napoli reported £15 million to the cottage in 2022, according to Athletic.
Why Angissa is a good signing
With Chelsea’s project under Maresca, it appears they are about to enter phase two. With Champions League qualifications secured, the Blues would certainly want to be a permanent fixture in the top four again.
So, who is better to help with that than a two-time Italian champion like Anguissa? He played a pivotal role in Napoli’s success under the former title-winning manager of Antonio Conte’s Stamford Bridge.
He played 35 Serie A games this season, earning a total of 2,858 minutes. This is equivalent to a 31 full 90 minute game. One reason he was pivotal in the middle of the park is his tendency to pop up with important goals or support. Angissa found the back of the net six times, offering her teammates five goals.
If Bruce agrees to an Angissa deal, he will likely bring some of the qualities Declan Rice has in Arsenal midfield. Of course, England International was once a player at Chelsea Academy, but a few years before he broke into the first team football with West Ham United.
Like Angissa, the 26-year-old is a midfielder of all actions and is known for his quality of effort and possession from the ball. In fact, he has a similar number of goal involvements for Cameroon International with four goals and seven assists in the 2024/25 Premier League.
The pair also attracts attention as similar players, according to FBREF, among the top five league players in Europe when looking at the underlying statistics.
For example, both of these pairs are hardworking, away from the ball. The Napoli midfielder averaged 5.4 duels per 90 minutes, with 3.9 duels earning each game.
The key statistics for Angissa and Rice were compared | ||
---|---|---|
Condition (per 90) | Eel | Rice |
Open play pass completed | 39.2 | 39.9 |
Forward pass | 12 | 11.6 |
Take-on is complete | 0.8 | 0.5 |
The duel won | 5.4 | 3.9 |
Ball recovery | 4.8 | 5 |
Statistics from fbref |
As author Zach Roy put it, Anguissa is “one of Europe’s most underrated midfielders,” and the statistics certainly backs up. There’s no doubt that the Blues want a rice-type player in the middle. He certainly fools the box, given his impressive carrying skills, the number from his possessions and the amount of target contributions.
The rates are not clear, but this could be a quick moving deal as Chelsea already appears to be in contact with Angissa. If they could take him to the blue side of West London, he could be a great addition to his already star-studded midfield.
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