John Terry might have been given another one-year contract for the present season, but Chelsea are unsurprisingly still making contingency plans for when the club legend hangs up his boots.
David Luiz arrived in the summer to strengthen Antonio Conte’s defence, but the manager is also thinking more long term.
According to the Daily Mail, Conte wants to bring in an English defender who can go on to emulate Terry.
That puts the likes of Ben Gibson and Michael Keane in the frame, currently playing for Middlesbrough and Burnley respectively.
The Blues need homegrown players to meet Premier League regulations, but they are also keen to buy English so they have a player like the current captain who is familiar with the uniqueness of the league.
It’s well documented that Chelsea would have liked John Stones when he left Everton this summer, but of course, the centre-back joined rivals Manchester City instead.
Forced to pursue other options, Conte is thinking pragmatically, and that could see the club not buying big, but having to scout much more cleverly than they are used to.
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