Radja Nainggolan to sign for £26m but who's place do you think is under threat?
Radja Nainggolan is to sign for Chelsea this summer on a five-year contract in a deal worth a reported £26m from Roma. Having a reputat...
https://www.chelseadaft.org/2016/04/radja-nainggolan-to-sign-for-26m-but.html
Radja Nainggolan is to sign for Chelsea this summer on a five-year contract in a deal worth a reported £26m from Roma. Having a reputation as being a combative midfielder, it leaves question marks over the other two players we have in that position currently. Who do you think is most under threat with his arrival?
John Obi Mikel and Nemanja Matic are the two in question here and it will be interesting to read your opinions. Both offer us something very different in that position and it would be interesting to see how Antontio Conte decides to adopt his tactical approach when he comes in because that would also affect who would be deemed as disposable.
I say that because if Conte decides to adopt a rigid defensive approach then things could favour John Obi Mikel who arguably is a better defensive midfielder who holds his position in front of the back four, whereas Nemanja Matic is much more dynamic in possession and likes to get forward into attacking areas.
It's a difficult question to answer really if you think about it despite plenty of people having a perception of Mikel with the ball it his feet. It's not about what he does with the ball in his position, it's what he does to protect and to win it back again that's important.
Matic is more mobile and does have his defensive qualities which you would imagine that Antonio Conte likes having brought Paul Pogba through at Juventus. Maybe he prefers that type of midfielder to play alongside Nainggolan next season rather than Mikel.
I just wonder if a decision has been made already with Mikel having made comments recently about his future at the club beyond the summer. He said:
"I have one more season with Chelsea but I know when this season ends, we will definitely sit down and try to sort out whatever needs to be sorted out.
If it means me leaving, fine. If it means me staying, then I have to play because one thing I don't want to do is to sit on the bench like I did before.
It's not very nice, especially now when you have kids you just want to do what you can to play.
Wherever it is I just want to play. When this season ends we will definitely sort out the contracts.
Legacy is important and I'm very proud and happy that I've kept this legacy to be able to achieve what I have achieved."
What do you people think? Who is most at risk?